


Forever

by MonsieurToast



Series: Always and Forever [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: According to this Turf Wars never happened sorry, Action/Adventure, Book 5, Book 5: Chi, Canon Compliant, Canon Continuation, Character Development, Drama, F/F, F/M, Multi, Post-Finale, Post-Series, Romance, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 11:36:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 121,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13763295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonsieurToast/pseuds/MonsieurToast
Summary: After an extended vacation with the love of her life, Asami Sato, Avatar Korra returns to Republic City to find it in the middle of a crisis, with many of its poorer neighborhoods still in ruins and triad activity on the rise in the aftermath of Kuvira's attack. Meanwhile, mummified corpses have begun popping up all over, prompting Team Avatar to investigate as a mysterious and otherworldly threat sets its sights on the people of Republic City.





	1. All Good Things

 

 

**Book Five  
Chi**

**Chapter One  
All Good Things**

 

It was as beautiful a morning as the Southern Water Tribe had ever seen. The scent of chimney smoke filled the air, and the seas were as calm as the sky was clear. A golden glow had washed across the endless white, and freshly fallen snow blanketed the tops of rustic southern homes, glimmering brightly in the morning sun.

It was here, in this sleepy southern town, that a young woman was beginning to stir. It was her first day back from an extended vacation, and she had been hoping to get more sleep than this. Unfortunately for her, however, she happened to be facing her bedroom window, her eyes fluttering open to the sunlight filtering in on her face.

The young woman rolled over with a groan. She hated mornings. But when her eyes had caught sight of the woman sleeping next to her, she immediately began to reconsider. There, lying next to her in her bed, the most beautiful, intelligent, and powerful woman in all the world was watching her with a smile. Her raven hair was awash in the morning glow, looking like a halo around her. Korra's heart skipped a beat at the sight.

“Good morning, Korra.”

She'd barely woken up, and already Korra was smiling. She could definitely get used to mornings if they were all like this.

“Good morning, Asami.” She groggily replied, a bit less graceful than she’d have liked. Waking up to Asami was nothing new by now, but every time still felt like the first time to her. Well rested and happy, Korra took a deep breath in through her nose and sat up in her bed. She stretched her arms above her head with a yawn and quickly took stock of her surroundings.

She seemed a little surprised at first as she saw she wasn't in the Spirit World anymore, but her bedroom. It was just as she had left it a couple weeks ago, not a paper or a possession out of place. As she looked back to Asami, she noticed she was still in her regular clothes, and as she checked herself, Korra noted she was as well. She couldn’t seem to remember why, though. The previous night’s events were still coming back to her as she shook off her morning haze.

“We’re home?”

“We are.” Asami smiled, crawling over to join her girlfriend on her side of the bed. Sitting up, Asami hung her arms limply around her Avatar’s shoulders and folded them into a loose hug, planting a small kiss on her cheek as she did. “We came back last night through the Spirit Portal, remember?”

Korra hummed. Had they? It was all kind of a blur.

“You must still be pretty tired.” Asami laughed.

“Yeah, I’ve never been the most alert person in the mornings...” 

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Asami teased, earning herself a playful sleepy elbowing from Korra. “Hey, I think it’s cute!” She defended.

“Yeah, well, I’m not cute, I’m a bad-ass.” Korra insisted.

“Whatever you say, _cutiepie_.” Asami countered. Korra just harrumphed. Pet names like that weren’t really her style. The second kiss she got after it certainly was, though.

For a couple of moments, the two sat there just like that, basking in the other’s presence. Neither really wanted to move or start the day, knowing that their vacation had come to an end, but they also couldn’t put it off forever. It took a few moments, but eventually, Korra had woken up enough to appear visibly alert. Letting out another yawn, she rested her head against Asami's.

"I really don't want to get up."

“Neither do I." Asami admitted. "Do you remember what happened last night now?” Asami asked.

“Well, I remember coming out to my parents.”

Asami laughed. “That was awkward.”

“Yeah, but, it went pretty well, all things considered.” Korra smiled. “Besides, I think my mom already knew, somehow. Friggin’… psychic mother-daughter bond, or something.” She shrugged. It was either that, or she'd gone through her discarded attempts at letters, but Korra was giving her the benefit of the doubt here.

“I guess it did, yeah. I'm still not looking forward going through it again when we get back to Republic City, assuming we make our relationship public.” 

“Didn’t we already have this discussion back in the Spirit World?”

“Oh, right,” Asami blushed, remembering now. “Sorry, I guess I’m still a little tired too.”

Korra laughed. “Now who’s cute?”

“Still you~” Asami teased. Korra shook her head, then leaned in to kiss her girlfriend’s lips. The first real kiss of the day was always a special one, so she was sure to make it count, and even more sure to leave Asami wanting just a _little bit_ more.

“No fair, I was just getting into it,” Asami complained.

“Don’t worry, there’s plenty of hours left in the day for that.”

Asami just gave her a pout in response, almost convincing her to let her have another. _Almost_. Instead, she just sighed.

“I’ve gotten too used to this.” Korra said.

“To what?”

“Just… us. To waking up and having you there next to me. To mumbling half-asleep and having you giggling like an idiot at me. To me, the Avatar, waking up looking like something the cat-owl dragged in, while you look as beautiful as ever,” And there went that giggle she was talking about. Korra loved that giggle. “Just… all of this, I guess. Vacation mode.”

“So I take it you’re not that excited to get back to Republic City then, huh?”

Korra shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong, Republic City is like home to me now, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Korra began, setting aside any fears or reservations Asami may have had about having Korra stay behind at the south pole again. “But, once we’re back… not only is it back to work, but, it’s back to home, for both of us. Me, on Air Temple Island, and you, all the way back at your estate. I’m gonna miss these mornings of ours.”

“Yeah...” Asami trailed, looking down.

“I haven’t been this happy in a long time.” Korra reassured her, holding onto Asami’s hands. “These last two weeks together have been perfect. Thank you.” At this, Asami smiled again, giving Korra another peck on the cheek. The Avatar smiled, blushing.

“You know… about going back home, I was actually thinking-”

Before Asami could finish her sentence, she found herself interrupted by the arrival of Korra’s mother, Senna, knocking twice on the bedroom door and then peeking her head into the room.

“I thought I heard talking. Good morning, you two!” Senna greeted from the doorway.

“Good morning,” Asami greeted sheepishly. Korra furrowed her brow.

“Can’t you at least wait for me to answer before you come in? What if we were, you know,” Korra suggested, about to make a motion with her hands that earned her an elbow from her girlfriend. “Ow!”

“Shh!” Asami begged. Senna laughed and shook her head.

“I was just about to get you two up for breakfast, come on.” She beckoned, dismissing her daughter’s statement and heading back into the living room, leaving the bedroom door open behind her. She could already smell it from here, the scent of her favorite meal wafting its way into Korra's room. Her mouth was already beginning to water. It felt like it'd been forever since she’d had a home-cooked meal.

“Oh man, Asami, you’re going to love this,” Korra said with excitement, rushing off of her bed. “I’ve been dying to get you to try some _real_ Southern Water Tribe cooking, this is going to be great!” She exclaimed, still holding onto her girlfriend’s hand and begging for her to get up so that they could eat. Asami laughed at Korra's gusto, climbing out of bed after her and joining her on the walk to Korra's living room.

 

*** *** *** *** *** ***

 

Putting down her bowl, Asami bowed, thanking Senna for the meal. She hadn’t asked for seconds in a long time. She could see why Korra was so excited, now.

“See? What’d I tell you?” Korra asked, eager to hear Asami’s reaction.

“You were right, that was good. But, Senna, where did you find the time to make a stew? It’s so early,” Asami remarked.

“Oh, I had that cooking all night while we slept. I knew when you and Korra arrived and told us the news that I had to make something special.” Korra’s mother replied, taking Asami’s bowl and placing it in the sink with her own.

“I’ll say. Were those carrots I tasted in there? I didn’t think you could grow those all the way out here...”

Senna laughed. “Well, we can’t, but when your husband’s the chief, it’s a little easier to get your hands on imports.”

Upon hearing himself being mentioned, Korra’s father, Tonraq, looked up from his bowl, now well into his third bowl along with his daughter. The two of them appeared to have been engaged in something of a race. He and Korra had been scarfing down stew like it was their first meal in months. Hearing no followup though, he returned to the race, intent on beating his daughter this time.

“I’m so sorry you have to see this, it can be pretty horrifying sometimes,” Senna joked. 

“Believe me, after spending a couple weeks alone with your daughter, _I know_.” Asami laughed.

“Hey, I’m not that bad! Usually,” Korra meekly defended. Asami just stuck her tongue out at her.

Finishing their bowls, as Korra asked for yet another, Tonraq looked dejected, unable to fit any more in his stomach. She had to have been on her fourth or fifth round by now. If Senna had intended for Korra take some of the stew home with her, there wouldn’t be much left to do that with. Waving the white flag, Korra grinned, slamming her bowl down with a pronounced thud and throwing up her arms, basking in her own glory.

“Tastes good. Tastes like victory.” She declared.

“Yeah, yeah, rub it in why don’t you,”

Korra laughed triumphantly.

“I’ve never seen anybody eat that much octopus that quickly,” Asami remarked.

“Yeah, well, like I said, this is my favorite meal. I could honestly eat more if I really wanted to, but I’m afraid you’d get sick.”

“You’re afraid _I’d_ get sick?” Asami laughed. “I think that’s enough for now, though, yeah,” She agreed. Korra shrugged.

“So, when did you two get together, if you don’t mind my asking?” Tonraq spoke up, changing the subject.

“Hmm… I guess it was right after Varrick and Zhu Li’s wedding?” Korra supposed, putting a finger to her chin in thought. “We’d always been great friends, but, pretty much that whole time after I got back to the city was like a tipping point, I guess.”

“I think it was bound to happen sooner or later.” Asami added on. Korra nodded in agreement.

“We just… click.”

Korra’s parents smiled.

“So how was the Spirit World, then?” Senna followed up.

“Oh, it was wonderful,” Asami swooned.

“Two straight weeks of paradise.” Korra tacked on. “It was very...”

“Spirity.” Asami finished. Korra laughed.

“Yeah, spirity, that about sums it up.” She joked.

“I see...” Tonraq hummed, his glance shifting over to Asami. “Well, I couldn’t be more pleased. If I’m being honest, I’ve always preferred you over that Mako kid. Not that there’s anything wrong with him, he’s just kind of...”

“Boring?” Korra asked.

“A stick in the mud?” Asami compounded.

“Something like that,” Tonraq laughed. “I think you two will be very happy together.”

“So do I.” Korra smiled, sharing a brief glance with Asami. “I was honestly a little afraid how you guys were going to react when I told you. I mean, it’s not exactly…”

“It’s perfectly fine, Korra,” Senna assured. “Love is love, right?”

“We support you 100%, no matter who you’re with.” Tonraq agreed. “So long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters to us.”

Getting up from the table, Korra immediately went to hug both of her parents, feeling more thankful than ever to have them in her life. It was a sight that caught Asami off guard. Before she realized it, a tear had formed in her eye. She wiped it away quickly, hoping nobody had noticed, but Korra had.

“Asami? Is everything alright?” Korra asked, concern set in her face. Asami smiled, nodding.

“Yeah, don’t worry, everything’s fine, it just...” Asami paused, looking over at Tonraq and Senna. “The way you are with your parents, it kind of reminds me how things used to be with my family, before my mom died.” She explained. Korra frowned. “I know we just got together and all, but I just… I never thought I’d get the chance to be a part of something like this again.”

“Well, you’ll always be welcomed as a part of this family, Asami. I can promise you that.” Tonraq confirmed. Senna nodded in agreement, and Korra gave Asami a smile, one she quickly returned. Approaching the two girls, Korra’s parents embraced the both of them in another hug, and for a moment, Asami felt as though this could be _her_ home, too.

“Thank you.” Asami whispered. Korra kissed her on her cheek, and the hug came to an end.

After breakfast, Korra and Asami enjoyed the rest of the morning with Korra’s parents. They told stories of when Korra was young, such as how she and Naga became friends, or all the stunts that Korra pulled during her training and her day-to-day life, while Korra and Asami told the two of their time together in the Spirit World, and moments together in Republic City. The last time Korra was here, she wasn’t in the best condition to be relaying stories, so a lot of this felt overdue.

It was a peaceful morning, all things considered – a small extension to their vacation together. With every passing moment, Asami felt more at home, and Korra couldn’t be happier. She was a little afraid Asami might not like it too much in the south, given how different it was from Republic City. This was her first time here without any business obligations to tend to. Thankfully, as Asami would go on to assure her, there was nowhere else she’d rather be right now. Korra was glad she was enjoying it here.

Eventually, the sharing of stories came to an end, and the group segued into politics – an unavoidable pitfall for Korra, considering she was essentially a world leader. This much was a little out of Asami’s depth, but she listened to Korra and Tonraq talk about their respective duties and the state of the world with intent. They’d been out of the loop for two weeks, so there was a lot of catching up to do. Korra couldn’t just keep goofing off forever.

“So, what about the Earth Kingdom territories and Kuvira, then?” Korra asked. At the mention of her name, Asami’s expression sunk a little. Expecting as much, Korra looked back in her girlfriend’s direction, but she assured her she was okay – this was part of her job description. Noting this, Senna offered Asami to help her in the kitchen, and the two left Korra and Tonraq to their discussion.

“Ah… well, things have actually been pretty calm since you and Asami left. Prince Wu’s plan to dissolve the monarchy has gone off without a hitch so far, and Izumi, Tenzin, and your cousins have been helping out where they can. There’s a lot of work left to be done, but nobody’s expecting any real resistance. As for Kuvira...” Tonraq sighed.

“Her trial is still ongoing. Thankfully, it's been progressing pretty smoothly since she was taken into custody. There’ve been some isolated pockets of resistance from remaining supporters, but nothing major so far. Predictably, the press has been making one heck of a spectacle out of it all, though. There’s no doubt that she's guilty, but, the nature of her sentence is still up in the air, from what I’ve heard.” He concluded.

“I see… honestly, I hope they don’t go too hard on her.” Korra said, prompting her father to raise an eyebrow. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, what she did was bad, and she should definitely be punished for it, but, I think she should be allowed to learn from her mistakes, too. I know there’s probably a lot of people calling for her head right now, but I don’t think she’s entirely beyond redemption.”

“Huh. That’s a very mature way to look at it.” Tonraq replied. “Sometimes I forget how much you’ve grown. But it’s honestly an honor to be able to talk to you like this. Not only as your father, but, as a fellow world leader, as well.” Though, Korra’s role went a bit beyond his, of course, being that she was the Avatar. Still, she nodded in agreement – it _was_ nice.

“Given that the Water Tribes were never really all that affected by the whole Kuvira fiasco, I don’t really have much to say on the matter one way or another. But, if that’s how you feel, then I think you should see if you can’t take part in her trial. I’m sure that the Avatar’s opinion will be taken into consideration during sentencing.”

“Yeah… I think I just might.” Korra smiled.

It was around this time that Senna and Asami finished up in the kitchen, reentering the living room as Korra and Tonraq wrapped things up. Overhearing Korra’s confirmation of wanting to take part in Kuvira’s trial, Asami spoke up.

“If that’s the case, then we should probably get going tonight or tomorrow. I need to go check up on my company, anyway.” Asami said, taking a seat next to her girlfriend, who greeted her with a peck on the cheek.

“That’s right… doesn’t Future Industries hold contracts with the United Republic for the city’s infrastructure? It’d never even crossed my mind… has anything even been rebuilt since we left?” Korra asked, beginning to get a little panicked.

“Don’t worry about it, I already prepared for all of this in advance before I left,” Asami assured her. “I’ve told you about Ravi before, right?”

Korra thought for a moment. “He’s the guy who runs a few of your factories, right? The one you’ve known since you were a kid?”

Asami nodded. “I left him in charge of the company before I left. He’s actually the reason why I was a little late that day, if you remember that?”

“Oh yeah...” Korra remembered. Well, that was one mystery solved, she guessed. “Phew. Well, that’s why you’re the CEO and I’m the Avatar, I guess. I kind of just left a note for Tenzin, told my parents where I was going, and left.” Korra shrugged. Asami laughed. She made it sound so easy. “Anyway, I think I’d like to head out tomorrow and just spend the rest of the day here, if you’re okay with that? It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve been home, and I’d love to give you a proper tour if you’re up for it.”

“Sounds perfect.” Asami smiled. “Thank you again for the meal.” She directed to her girlfriend’s parents, bowing. Tonraq and Senna just pulled her and Korra into another hug.

“Of course.” Senna said.

“If you’re ever down this way, don’t be a stranger – we’d love to have you over.” Tonraq assured Asami. “That goes for you, too, little missy. Now that there’s a new Spirit Portal open, I hope you come to visit us a little more often.” He directed at Korra.

“I plan on it.” Korra replied.

“Okay, well, we’ll let you two get going then,” Senna said, smiling. “Have fun!”

“We will!” Korra called, running for the door with Asami’s hand in hers, pulling her along for the ride. She was still getting used to that.

As soon as the two of them stepped outside, Korra and Asami both were greeted by the familiar crunch of heavy paws in the snow as Naga came barreling toward them, full steam ahead.

“Naga!!!” Korra cried out with glee, arms wide open to embrace her best friend.

“Oh no...” Asami winced, fully aware of what was coming next as she and her girlfriend were knocked down into the snow by the overeager polar bear dog. While Korra rubbed Naga’s face, Asami found _her_ face being covered in dog slobber as she was greeted the only way Naga knew how. “I missed you too, Naga,” She managed to get out.

“Oh, I’m so glad to see you!” Korra chirped. Asking for her to let them back up, Korra helped Asami to her feet and then hopped up onto Naga’s back, motioning with her head for Asami to follow along. “We’re taking the Polar Bear Dog Express today.” She smiled. Asami shook her head, smiling, holding out a hand so that Korra could help her up on Naga’s back, too.

Korra scratched Naga behind the ears while Asami wrapped her arms around her Avatar’s waist, planting a small kiss on her right cheek.

“Ready when you are.” Asami confirmed.

“Then we’re off!” Korra announced, directing Naga to take her and Asami into the village. Today was going to be a good day.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

 

Meanwhile, in Republic City...

A young, dark haired man made his way through the bustling city streets, as alive as they’d ever been even despite their somewhat cluttered state of disrepair and reconstruction. It’d been three weeks since Kuvira’s attack, two weeks since his two best friends left for an impromptu Spirit Vacation, and two days since _his_ little ‘vacation’ had – thankfully – come to an end. And he couldn’t be happier for it. As of today, Republic City’s ace detective, Mako, was officially back on the beat!

It'd taken a while, but after some intense healing and rehabilitation, Mako’s arm was back in usable condition. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done about the scarring and his skin was still a little tender, so he had elected to wear gloves until he completely finished healing. Combined with the long sleeves of his RCPD uniform, you wouldn’t be able to tell just by looking at him that there was anything wrong; though, he was cautioned to take it easy while Firebending for at least another couple of weeks.

As he made his way to his new place of work, Mako went over the most recent events in his head, making sure he was up to date on everything he would be having to deal with.

Essentially, with the city still recovering from Kuvira, there had been an increase in crimes of all kinds – especially triad activities – which ultimately meant more work for the struggling police force. In order to try and keep up with this recent rise in criminal activity, a lot of former detectives and officers had elected to temporarily come out of retirement and lend a hand, and many more were being hired off the street and being taught the ins-and-outs as quickly as possible.

To do this, a lot of former retirees and veterans of the force – like Mako – were being saddled with partners who functioned more like apprentices, foregoing the usual training for what essentially amounted to on-the-job training alongside their more experienced counterparts. He couldn’t say that he was exactly pleased to hear the news, but he understood why the decision was made.

Despite all this, he was glad to be back. Besides, how bad could it really be? Maybe having a new partner to take under his wing would be fun. He just hoped they weren’t _too_ wet behind the ears.

Rounding the last corner and arriving at his destination, Mako took a moment to take in the sight of the new RCPD headquarters. Along with City Hall, the police station was one of the first buildings in the city to be relocated, rebuilt, and expanded on, with more and larger rooms being added on in anticipation of a larger police force. There were even a couple levels below ground for the holding cells and coroner’s office, so far as he knew, which ultimately meant less travel for all involved.

Honestly, though, it looked even bigger than he thought it’d be; he kinda hoped he wouldn’t get lost.

Finished gawking, Mako climbed up the marble steps and passed through the double doors. As soon as he entered, he was met by a much larger crowd than he ever could've expected, one comprised of Metalbending officers, beat cops, and other low-ranking law enforcement officials.

Phones were ringing off the hook and papers were shuffling from desk to desk, a constant stream of officers entering and exiting the building passing him by to his right and left, some of them with criminals in tow. He’d heard that a lot of Metalbenders from Zaofu had elected to temporarily join the force until the city was in a more stable condition, but he never expected _this_ many to have signed up for the job.

There were a lot of faces here that he didn’t recognize, and it wasn’t just because he hadn’t worked here in a while. A lot of these people were clearly out-of-towners. Along with all of the newbies and veterans from before his time, he could hardly see _any_ familiar faces in the chaos that surrounded him.

“Home sweet home…?” He asked, looking around the room for his desk, which he assumed would be unmanned – an assumption which didn’t gel with any of the over 50 in this room alone.

“Mako, there you are! Took you long enough to get here.”

Finally, a familiar voice. Immediately snapping to attention, Mako turned to face the Chief of Police, Lin Beifong, an eager smile on his face.

“Detective Mako, reporting for duty, ma’am.” He greeted with a salute. “I’ve gotta say, I knew we were getting some new recruits, but I didn’t expect things to be so… _lively_.”

“Welcome to your new norm, detective. Your desk is on the second floor with all the others.” Lin said as she signed a stack of papers that had just been presented to her by a nearby officer, only to be presented another one as soon as she’d passed it off.

“Um… ‘all the others’?” Mako asked.

“Detectives,” Lin clarified, signing off on the second report. “We’ve got a lot more of them now. Veterans, mostly.” She continued to explain. Mako was surprised, but in a good way this time. Maybe this meant the workload would be a little more evenly distributed this time around. “Your new partner is already up there waiting for you. He just finished with his psych eval and basic training today.”

So even if they weren't doing the usual amount of training, they weren't sending new recruits in completely blind and unscreened, it seemed. Still, at the rate at which he’d heard they were being approved, Mako couldn't help but be a little concerned. Now that he saw how much of a mess things were down here, he was beginning to worry if maybe this partner thing was a bad idea. Rather than voice any of this though, Mako decided to keep this to himself.

“I understand ma’am. Anything else?”

“Yeah, your first case is already on your desk. I’m just gonna warn you now, it’s a weird one, and a little outside your element.” Lin remarked. Mako looked confused. Outside his element? “But the fact of the matter is, we’re still pretty understaffed for everything that’s going on right now, and I know for a fact that you’re one of the best I’ve got. It may not be what you’re used to, but I trust you to get it done right and to get it done _quick_.”

“Of course, ma’am. I’ll see to it that it’s resolved as soon as possible.” Mako assured in a dutiful tone, receiving a simple nod from Chief Beifong in response, which he took as his cue to get going.

Making his way to the elevator, as soon as the doors closed in front of him, he let out an exhausted sigh. Just standing in that room took a lot out of him. He really hoped the second floor wasn’t as crowded as the first, because if it was, he honestly had no idea how he was going to get any work done. Thankfully, when the doors opened a couple of moments later, he could immediately tell that it was not.

Though he could still hear sounds of construction coming from further back in the building, the area he would now be calling his office appeared to be more-or-less finished, save for a missing light fixture here and there, or some unpainted walls near the elevator. While a couple of phones were ringing here, too, in comparison to the floor below, it may as well have been dead quiet.

While he’d countered over 50 desks down below, there were less than half of that up here. There were 12 on each side of the room, and including his own, a little over a quarter were unoccupied. The way they were organized left a wide open area in the middle of the room which led from the elevator behind him to the Chief’s office directly in front, separated from the detectives with a frosted glass door and window, far and away from the hustle and bustle down below. Now this, he could work with.

And speaking of working with...

Spotting his nameplate on one of the desks closest to Lin’s office, Mako found a rather familiar face sitting behind it, fiddling around with the drawers and occasionally looking up to scan the room, as if he were waiting for somebody. Mako knew exactly who that was. He just really hoped he wasn’t here for the reason he thought he was.

“...Bolin? Why are you at my desk?” He asked, a hand on his hip as he looked accusingly in Bolin’s direction.

Perking up at the sound of his brother’s voice, Bolin immediately stood up and gave Mako a salute. “Surprise!!! Junior Detective in training Bolin reporting for duty, sir!” 

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me...” Mako groaned, putting his hand to his forehead. Admittedly, Bolin didn’t look bad in uniform, but... “Seriously? You’re my new partner?”

“Yeah, isn’t it great!?” Bolin responded, immediately breaking from his previous military-like stand to attention.

“Now, I know what you’re thinking: since when has Bolin been all about police work? Well, let me tell you, Mako, my time in the army has changed me. I’m a new man! A better man! When I was working for Kuvira, I thought I was doing the right thing and actually helping people. It turned out that I wasn’t, but here, I can actually do some good and help Republic City get back on its feet in the process – and with my brother, no less! This is gonna be GREAT!” Bolin reaffirmed, practically shouting with excitement.

Well, so much for that calmer atmosphere Mako was looking forward to.

“Well, this is certainly… unexpected.” Mako replied, scratching the back of his head.

“The best things in life are often the _most_ unexpected.” Bolin recited with a finger in the air, nodding sagely at the end. Mako just rolled his eyes and sighed, motioning for Bolin to move so he could take a seat at his desk. Bolin took a seat at the opposite end, pushing a folder that was on his side of the desk over so it was in front of Mako, instead.

“Li-I mean, Chief Beifong, told me to just stay here and read over the report while I waited for you. Apparently, a body was found outside of a home in the old Downtown area, maybe a dozen blocks or so from the new Spirit Portal. She wants us to go look into it.” Bolin explained.

“...Really? This is the ‘weird case’ she told me about? A body in the slums?” Mako asked. “That part of town isn’t exactly the most stable right now, this isn’t anything out of the ordinary out there. What’s she want _me_ investigating this for?”

Bolin shrugged, making a sound roughly equatable to an ‘I don’t know’, leaving it to Mako to find out for himself. Sighing, the Firebending detective opened the folder and began scanning the pages, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

“Oh yeah, she also told me to tell you once you’re done reading the report to head down to the morgue. Oh! And to take me with you. Something about on-the-job training? I dunno, sounds like fun to me!” Bolin said with some excitement.

“‘Fun’? I don’t think you’re taking this job seriously enough, Bolin. There’s nothing ‘fun’ about this.” Mako scolded.

Continuing to read the file, it wasn’t until he got to the end that Chief Beifong’s comment finally made sense, Mako’s eyes going wide. Hurriedly, he flipped through the pages of the document back to the beginning, double-checking to make sure he didn’t misread something. He hadn’t.

“...Bolin, are you sure that this is right?” Mako asked. Bolin shrugged.

“Well, that’s the file Lin gave to me, so, I guess so? I dunno, I wasn’t the one who wrote it. Why, what’s wrong?” He asked. Mako’s eyes narrowed. Maybe this was going to be a weird one after all. He was just going to have to see for himself.

“...Come on. We’re heading down to the morgue. It seems you and me are gonna be working homicide today.” Closing the file and taking it with him, Mako immediately made off for the elevator while Bolin just sat there for a moment, registering the situation.

“Wait… homicide? As in, murder?” Bolin asked. Somehow, even after reading over that report himself, it hadn’t exactly clicked for him that _that_ was what he was going to be investigating until just now.

Realizing by now that his brother had gone on without him, Bolin shook his head, snapping back to reality and stumbling over himself and his and his brother’s desk as he ran out of the office in pursuit.

“Mako! Hey! Wait for me!” He called. He could already tell this was going to be a long day.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

 

“Now _that_ is how you end a vacation.” Korra sighed, falling back into a soft mound of snow behind her, exhausted.

She’d heard the expression ‘Time flies when you’re having fun’ before, but, it’d never applied to her quite like this. Maybe it was because she was heading back to Republic City tomorrow, or because she’d spent the whole day hanging out around town with Asami, but as the sun set over the water, she had to say, she was pretty sad to see it go.

“You’re better at snowball fights than I thought.” Korra mentioned with a laugh, glancing over at the panting raven-haired girl to her left. Asami looked to be maybe twice as exhausted as Korra was, but also several times more triumphant, a wide smile on both of their faces as she rolled over in their mound to face her girlfriend to her right.

The both of them were a total mess, disheveled and with bits of slowly melting snow all over both of their clothes, their faces beet red with both happiness and exhaustion. Not even a minute and a half prior, the two of them were engaged in the snowball fight to end all snowball fights, a teasing toss by Korra inadvertently starting a war of wintry attrition that she was amazed she’d actually lost.

I mean, really, how does a _Waterbender_ lose a snowball fight? Not that she was complaining, of course – that was the most fun she’d had in ages – but still! It wasn’t right!

“I know right? Who’d have thought I’d be able to beat the Avatar? What a pushover~” Asami teased.

“In a snowball fight!!” Korra rushed to correct her, a little embarrassed. “Enjoy it while it lasts, Sato. Next time? You’re _mine_.” Korra warned playfully in response.

“Oh, is that so? Well, we’ll just have to see about that~” Asami teased once more, brimming with confidence.

While the two of them shared a laugh, Naga raised her head from behind a larger snow mound maybe a dozen or so feet away from them, cautiously checking to see if the coast was finally clear. Seeing the two girls now lying calmly in the snow together, the polar bear dog got up and walked to be closer to the both of them, curling up and lying down a couple of feet to Korra’s right, staring out over the sea. The look in her eye was the look of one who had seen things.

“Aw, I’m sorry Naga, did we get you in the crossfire?” Korra asked, sensing her pet’s mild frustration. “Ah, the cost of war is just too high, even if it’s a snowball war...” She joked. Asami shook her head. This girl…

Reaching out with her gloved hand, Asami grabbed Korra’s, holding onto it tightly and looking up at the sky as the sunlight began to fade and the recently restored southern lights took their place. Sighing with contentment, Asami watched while they danced along across the sky, the orange hues of the setting sun giving way to a mix of dark blue and green, the first couple of stars just starting to come into view.

For a couple of minutes, the two of them laid there, just like that, watching the sky and taking in each other’s company, neither daring to say whatever may have been on their mind. Neither of them wanted this day to end, but both of them knew it was only a matter of time now. Soon, they’d be back in the city, and from there, back to work.

“I really don’t want this to end.” Korra finally spoke up. Asami turned her head to look at her.

“What do you mean?” 

“Well, you know… _this_. Us.” Korra attempted to clarify, only serving to confuse Asami more.

“You make it sound like we’re never going to see each other again.” Asami replied. “...You’re not breaking up with me, are you?”

“What? No! No, of course not – trust me, I love you _way_ too much to break up with you, that’s not it at all,” Korra clarified further, immediately easing Asami’s mind. She didn’t think so, but… she had to be sure.

“I just mean… I don’t know, I’m greedy. I don’t want this vacation to end. I want to spend every day with you, like we have been. These last couple of weeks have been some of the best of my life. I know they don’t really make up for 3 years of lost time, but it’s a start. And… I’m kinda hoping… …I dunno.” As Korra talked, she never once turned her head to look at Asami, instead keeping her eyes affixed to the sky above, trying to find the right words to say.

“I guess… what I’m saying is,” Korra paused, taking a deep breath and steeling herself for what was to come. Finally, she turned her head, meeting Asami’s gaze with her own. “I want to live with you.” She announced. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, no matter how I end up doing that. Whether it be as your friend, or your girlfriend, or… your fiancee… …or your wife…” Korra bit her lip. Wow, this was awkward.

Asami’s eyes were intense, urging Korra to continue. She wasn’t going to say anything until she was sure that Korra was done. But, instead of continuing, Korra sighed, closing her eyes and sitting up, catching Asami by surprise.

“Korra…?” She asked, also sitting up, only to find that her girlfriend was now digging through her coat pockets for something she’d tucked away earlier on. Whatever she was looking for, it seemed to have Korra so flustered, she couldn’t remember what pocket she’d put it in. Then, suddenly, Korra stopped, a very ‘aha!’ look on her face. She’d found it. Taking a deep breath, Korra finally continued.

“I, uh… I made this a couple days ago, in the Spirit World… I just, wasn’t sure when I was going to give it to you until today. I was thinking of holding off a little longer, like, maybe this is too soon… shit, I’m **_sure_** it’s too soon, but, knowing that everything’s going to be going back to normal soon and that we’re going to be more busy than ever with the city and the Earth Kingdom and all of that stuff, I thought… maybe… maybe now wouldn’t be such a bad time after all,” The Avatar prefaced.

“Korra, you’re rambling.” Asami teased.

“Right, sorry,” Korra blushed.

“Anyway, um, I guess the easiest way to say it is just to explain it. For the Water Tribes, it’s custom that, when two people are betrothed to one another, one of them carves a necklace for the other, as an expression of their love and as a sign to others that they're promised to somebody else. Normally, it’s the guy who makes one and gives it to his bride-to-be, but, we’re both girls, so I figured, since I’m the one with the Water Tribe background...” Korra looked away.

Korra was blushing harder than she had since she and Asami had shared their first kiss. It wasn’t lost on her how crazy this was – they’d only officially been together for a couple of weeks, and already she was talking about moving in together, and betrothal necklaces, but… even still…

Opening her hand, Korra revealed to Asami the necklace she had created, carved from a stone she had taken back from the Spirit World. Etched into the rock, she appeared to have carved the shape of a gear rising from the ocean, a symbol meant to represent the two of them together.

Accepting the necklace into her hands, Asami was silent, just holding onto it and staring at it for a moment. This was really happening, wasn’t it? Korra was serious. There was no mistaking that look in her eyes. This was a betrothal necklace. Korra was giving her a _betrothal necklace_. Though on the inside her mind was racing, and she felt as if her hands were shaking, on the outside, she was actually remarkably composed. So composed, in fact, it was actually setting Korra a little on edge. She didn’t just make a mistake, did she?

“…It’s too soon, isn’t it,” Korra blurted out, her face growing even redder. “Damn it, we’ve only been together two weeks… what was I thinking? It doesn’t even look that great. I mean, what do I think I am, some sort of artist?” She complained, already having started to beat herself up.

“…Korra,” Asami half-whispered. Korra didn’t seem to hear her.

“Please tell me I didn’t just ruin this for you. I don’t mean to take things too fast, I just… all those years away, the letters, the pining, the way you cared for me after Zaheer… it feels like we’ve been together so much longer, so, I don’t know, I guess I just thought that-”

“Korra.” Asami repeated, louder this time. Korra stopped talking immediately, looking Asami in the eyes. Korra almost seemed to be on the brink of tears. Now that just wouldn’t do. Placing her hand beneath her girlfriend’s chin, Asami leaned in close, staring deep into her eyes as she spoke. “You talk too much.” She said, gently pulling Korra in for a kiss. Suddenly, Korra didn’t seem to be such a nervous wreck anymore.

“I-I… that was...” Korra stammered, not really sure how to react.

“Shhh.” Asami hushed. “The answer is yes.”

“...What?”

“I accept your betrothal necklace. I'll be your fiancee.” Asami smiled. “I'll marry you.” She promised. Korra just sat there, her eyes wide and jaw hanging open.

“You… you what?” Korra asked. Asami laughed.

“It doesn’t have to be right now. In fact, it **_definitely_** shouldn’t be right now. It’s way too soon, you’re right about that,” Asami confirmed, causing Korra’s heart to sink just a little bit. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t still promise myself to you. I feel the same way you do. I feel like… even if we never really said it, in a way, we’ve been together longer than just a couple of weeks.” Asami said.

“You do?”

Asami nodded. “But this is still new for us. It’d be a good idea if we waited a bit before we actually, you know, tie the knot.” Asami said with a blush. “But that’s what the necklace is all about, right? It’s a promise. A promise that we’ll always be together, and that, when the right time comes…”

“Y-Yeah,” Korra confirmed. “I figured… things are gonna be crazy these next couple of months… couple of _years_ , even. Republic City is expanding, your company is growing faster than ever, and who even knows what’s going to happen with all the Earth Kingdom territories, but…” Korra paused for a moment. Asami waited for her to continue.

“Whatever happens, I want it to happen with you and me. I want you to know I love you, and I’ll always come back to you, even if our jobs take us far apart for a while. So… that’s kind of what the necklace is about. This way, when everything’s over and done with, and things are stable again, if we still love each other… this way, I can make you mine. Forever.” She stumbled to explain. Asami just smiled, kissing her again.

“Well, you know what they say. ‘All good things come to those that wait’, right?” Asami replied, the remark combined with her kiss prompting Korra to blush even harder.

“I love you, Korra.”

“I love you too, Asami.”

Sharing one more kiss with one another, while it was shorter in duration than the first one, the feeling behind it was no less intense. Slowly pulling away, Asami laughed beneath her breath, trying on the necklace for the first time.

“Um, what do you think of it, by the way?” Korra asked.

“I think it’s beautiful. Thank you, Korra.” Asami replied. “So… how do I look?” She asked.

Korra didn’t even have to think about how to reply to that. For once, she felt like she knew _exactly_ what to say.

“Snazzy.”

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

 

Back in Republic City, Mako and Bolin had made their way down to the second basement of the new police precinct and entered the city morgue. They were now following the medical examiner down the hall. While Mako appeared to be all business, re-reading the document while he walked, Bolin was looking around with an uneasy look on his face. He immediately didn’t like it here.

In a way, the M.E.’s demeanor wasn’t exactly helping the situation, either. He was a wordy fellow with thick, horn-rimmed glasses and thinning hair, somebody whose personality was the total opposite of what you’d expect from a guy who made a career of carving up dead people - legally, of course. Ever since the two of them stepped off of the elevator and started walking down the unusually long hall, he was prattling on and on about one thing or another, so much so that even Bolin had almost entirely tuned out.

“...but sadly, I never did see Gou again, after that. Oh, the things I would have done differently… ah! Here we are! Exam room number 5. It would appear we have arrived at our destination at last, my good fellows!” The doctor finally announced, drawing Mako’s attention away from the report and back to reality.

Entering the room, while the M.E. grabbed his coat from the rack just inside, and Mako held the report underneath his good arm, Bolin scanned the room. Though he tried, he couldn’t help but stare at the tools on the tray across from the examination table that the body bag was on.

“Sorry for making you track me down like that, things have been _quite_ hectic lately, but I did enjoy our little chat on the way back down here! It’s not often a man like me gets to reminisce with the living, you know.” The M.E. informed. “Anyway, I must say officer Mako, in all my 15 years here with the precinct, I’ve _never_ seen a body quite like this one. Let me just warn you now, you may find its appearance to be rather… disturbing.”

“Detective,” Mako corrected. “And don’t worry, Dr. Lou. I think we can stomach it.” He assured, nudging Bolin back to attention with his elbow.

“Oh, right, sorry, uh… yeah! What Mako said.” Bolin nodded. Mako sighed.

“Very well then, as you wish.” Dr. Lou replied.

Unzipping the body bag, what greeted the brothers looked less like a fresh corpse and more like an ancient mummy, its flesh dry and shriveled and its eyes absent from its sockets. It looked as though all of its blood and bodily fluids had been drained away, which, as it happened, was exactly what was described in the report.

It was almost as though the body had been stowed away for some time and simply left at the scene, but, according to an incident report included in the file, a suspect wearing clothes matching the description of the victim’s had been seen lurking around that area shortly beforehand. Furthermore, there was the additional detail of a report of illegal bending by the owner of the house outside of which the body was found.

No matter how Mako looked at it, nothing about the body or the circumstances surrounding it made much sense. But, they didn’t really have much to go off of to start with. He was beginning to see why the Chief had warned him in advance about this one, though, and why she seemed to want it wrapped up quickly. Once word got out, people would start asking questions, and if the police couldn’t give them answers… well, the last thing they needed was a panic right now.

“…Oh. Oh spirits. That is… wow. That is just _horrible_. It looks like a raisin, only… people shaped… … oh,” Bolin sputtered out, clearly taken aback by the body in the bag and immediately looking away. “Wow, that is just… wow.”

“He told us it was going to be disturbing.” Mako chastised. “Besides, the file clearly stated that it was mummy-like in appearance, you should’ve been prepared for this. Did you even read the report?”

“...I skimmed it,” Bolin shamefully replied. Mako facepalmed.

“Whatever. I don’t have time for this right now. Next time, make sure you have a better idea of what you’re getting yourself into.” He scolded, turning his attention back to Dr. Lou. “I know it was already written in the report, but I have to ask, do you have any idea how old the body is? It may have shown up today, but it hardly looks new.”

“Yes, yes, it’s actually quite fresh, despite all appearances to the contrary. I thought maybe it had been dug up or something, but it shows no signs of decay, even despite its rather… _degraded_ appearance. It was a perfect, almost instant mummification, and it appears to be fairly recent, as some of the flesh still hasn’t completely dried up yet. It was almost as though something came up and just sucked the life right out of him, the poor soul.” Dr. Lou explained, shaking his head.

“I see… do you have any idea what could have caused this, then?” Again, the M.E. just shook his head.

“No, I’m afraid not. Maybe a Waterbender would be capable of something like this, if they were feeling especially vicious, but, this seems more in line with what a Bloodbender might be capable of doing to me, and we’re at least a week away from the next full moon.”

Bloodbending? Mako sure hoped not. He’d had his fill of Bloodbenders already.

“But even then,” Dr. Lou continued. “I would expect _some_ sort of trace to be left behind. But here, there’s nothing. It’s really quite perplexing, I’ve never seen anything quite like it before.”

Mako sighed. Well, it certainly was ‘weird’. Though, looking at it now first-hand, ‘horrifying’ seemed the more apt description. Giving the doctor the go ahead to zip it back up and place the body back in storage, Bolin quickly interrupted.

“Wait!” He cried out, grabbing the doctor’s arm. Mako sighed.

“What is it now, Bolin?” Mako asked, clearly annoyed.

“I think I saw something,” Bolin announced, noting that neither of them had pointed it out yet. “What is that? On its face?” He asked, pointing.

Mako and the M.E. were confused. On its face…? The young detective tilted his head, leaning in to take a closer look but unable to see anything.

“…What are you talking about? There’s nothing there.” Mako retorted.

The doctor, however, was intrigued by the new officer’s assertion, deciding to take a closer look with a magnifying glass and an extra light. While Mako may not have seen it, the professional certainly had. It was slight, but… it was there. He was shocked Bolin had noticed it when he’d completely missed it before, himself.

“Well I’ll be,” Dr. Lou began. “You have good eyes, my boy; there appears to be some minor discoloration around the facial area, though I can’t quite make out what it is or what could have caused it. The skin is far too shriveled up.” Dr. Lou rubbed his chin, thinking to himself for a moment.

“Wait… what?” Mako leaned in for an even closer look, trying to see if he could see any discoloration, now that he knew what he was looking for. But no, everything seemed… oh. Well. What do you know.

There, from around the subject’s mouth and all the way up to his forehead, an irregularly shaped, slight discoloration had appeared. What’s more, the skin around the face in and around the discoloration appeared to be a little more dry than the rest. It almost looked like it was starting to flake off, if only a little bit. Still, it was barely noticeable. Mako was impressed that Bolin had seen it at all.

“I believe I may be able to get a better look if I can manage to re-hydrate the skin… I’ll see what I can do and perform a second examination. I’ll be sure to look for more signs of discoloration this time, too. I’ll phone you with my findings as soon as I can.” He concluded.

“Huh… wow. Good job, Bolin. I never even noticed that.” Mako congratulated, genuinely surprised to have missed something, and even more surprised Bolin picked it up before he did.

“It’s okay bro. Even though looking at this thing creeps me out, these are the sacrifices we must make while protecting and serving. Perhaps you are just too stoic for your own good, and somewhere beneath that ice cold Firebender veneer of yours, there is a terrified, screaming child, wanting nothing more than to look away.” Bolin posited somewhat poetically, earning a glare from his brother.

“Don’t push it.” 

“Sorry,” 

“Well, anyway, I don’t think we’re going to find anything else here right now. Thank you for your time, Dr. Lou.” Mako bowed.

“My pleasure, detectives.” The doctor bowed back.

“Let’s go, Bolin,” Mako said, loosely motioning for him to follow as he jotted down another note into the file and turned to leave the room.

“Mako? Wait up! Now where are we going?” Bolin asked.

“Home. It’s getting late.” Mako replied, stopping in front of the elevator to finish his notes and close the file. “First thing tomorrow morning though, we should head back to the scene of the crime to investigate. Seems you and I have got a bona fide mystery on our hands.”

“Yeah… mystery… great…” Bolin trailed. Mako raised an eyebrow.

“Is something wrong?”

“I dunno, I just… I didn’t think this was how my first day of being a cop would go. I thought I was going to be out on the streets, chasing down shoplifters and beating up bad guys and stuff. You know, protecting the peace, like a real life mover! Not holed up in some basement staring at creepy mummies.”

Mako shook his head. As he thought, Bolin hadn’t really thought this whole thing through before joining up.

“Well, that’s part of being a cop too, Bolin. Sometimes, bad guys kill people, and sometimes, they do it in some really nasty ways. Either way, it’s up to us to figure out who did it and why and to put a stop to them before they kill again. I’m not really used to this kind of case myself, I’ve never worked homicide before, but these things happen and sometimes you get wrapped up in them whether you want to be or not.” Mako explained. Bolin was silent.

“Besides, nothing about this seems right to me. We may be dealing with something more than a simple murder, here. Consider this a chance to keep the peace by tracking down whoever did this before they do it again. Killers with an m.o. this specific usually strike more than once.”

“Yeah… I guess you’re right. If this is part of the job too, then, I’m just gonna have to suck it up and deal with it.” Bolin sighed.

“Exactly. Lin put us on this case for a reason. I’m sure she has faith in our abilities – both of us.”

The look on Bolin’s face said otherwise.

“Yeeeaaahh, right, about that,” Bolin nervously trailed, rubbing the back of his head. “Actually, Lin was initially against me joining the force, she didn’t think I had what it takes and basically laughed me out of her office when I applied. Raiko was the one who put in a good word for me and got her to give me a chance. I guess that, combined with the time I helped her and Opal free Su and everyone from Kuvira-”

“Waitwaitwaitwaitwawait – Raiko? What does he have to do with any of this?” Mako asked. That guy was the reason he got stuck with Prince Wu for 3 years. He was really starting to piss Mako off.

“Welllll, remember that time Varrick tried to kidnap him and you tried to warn everyone but you were in jail because Varrick had set you up and nobody believed you? Apparently, he remembered that and told Lin to give me a chance.”

So that was it… now that Mako thought about it, it made a lot of sense. He _knew_ Lin wouldn’t have given Bolin a chance without some sort of outside factor. He thought maybe she’d seen something in him, but… well, maybe she did? The answer was likely somewhere closer to the middle, he reckoned.

“But! I did pass basic training, so hey! Like you said, this is my chance, and I’m gonna take it! No more Bolin: The Goofball – from now on, there is only Bolin: The Cop!” Bolin announced. Mako shook his head.

“Yeah, a really goofy cop.” Mako teased with a smirk.

“Pssh,” Bolin hand-waived. “You’ll see.” He assured.

Again, Mako shook his head. Then, suddenly, he was down on his knees, the sound of the file under his arm hitting the floor grabbing Bolin’s attention.

“Gah!” Mako cried out, grabbing on to his left arm, a sharp pain shooting up along its length.

“Mako!” Bolin yelped, immediately getting down to see if he was alright. But Mako didn’t reply, his grip on his arm tightening. It felt as though every muscle was involuntarily twitching, as if his skin was on fire. Compounded with its already tender nature following his injury, the agony he was feeling was immense, and it showed. A cold sweat overtook him and his teeth threatened to break under the amount of pressure he was putting them in, clenching down hard.

“Mako, what’s wrong!?” Bolin asked.

Finally, after a couple more seconds, the pain had subsided, disappearing just as quickly as it’d appeared. To Mako, it felt like an eternity. Panting heavily, he unclenched his teeth and loosened the grip on his arm, trying to get his bearings. The look in his eyes said this was something he was used to.

“I’m okay,” He said, raising his hand from his arm to his forehead instead. Another headache. They always seemed to follow attacks like these.

“No, you’re not. You just collapsed out of nowhere!”

“I said I’m fine, okay?” Mako reassured. “This just… happens, sometimes. It has for a while now.” Bolin still wasn’t buying it.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

“I don’t know, it wasn’t important.” Mako said, rising back to his feet. “I’m sorry if I scared you. Since you’ve been staying with Opal, you haven’t really seen me during an attack. This was a bad one, though...”

Bolin hugged his brother, careful not to put too much pressure on his bad arm. “Have you told a doctor?” He asked.

“They think it’s just nerve damage from the lightning feedback.” Mako explained. “But if you ask me, I… well, I don’t know. Never mind.” Okay, well, Bolin wasn’t going to ignore _that_.

“You what? Come on Mako, don’t leave me hanging here. This is important!” Bolin stressed.

“It’s stupid.” Mako replied. Bolin pressed on.

“ _Mako_ ,”

“Okay, fine! Fine,” Mako relented, putting up his hands. “I know it’s ridiculous, and it doesn’t make any sense, but… every time my arm starts acting up like that, something bad ends up happening.” He explained. Bolin raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“The doctor says it’s probably just a coincidence, that I’m overthinking it. Maybe I’m a little clumsy after an attack, because I’m trying to reorient myself. Maybe my reflexes are a little slower than they used to be, and I haven’t adjusted yet. But. Every time it acts up, I or somebody nearby me ends up getting hurt.” Mako said.  
  
“...And you said that’s the worst one you’ve ever had?” Bolin asked. Mako was silent, but the look on his face said enough. Bolin gulped. “Does that mean…?”

“I don’t know.” Mako interrupted, shaking his head.

“But suddenly, I think I’m starting to get a bad feeling about this case.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you feel like you're experiencing deja vu, you may have read the original version of this story once before, which has now since been abandoned and orphaned. Basically, it was a mess, and I wanted to finish it, but I also wanted to improve it. I consider it now something of a rough draft, and this version to be the 'true' Forever.
> 
> I first started writing this story *right* after the finale back in 2014, so this has been a long time in development, and I actually ended up calling quite a few things that ended up happening in Turf Wars. But, since this was written long before it was announced, it is only canon compliant up until the comics. Everything else is gonna be a whole new adventure.
> 
> I really, *really* hope you enjoy everything I have in store for you guys - this has been a long time coming!
> 
> Also, HUGE thanks to tumblr user l-a-l-o-u for making the gorgeous poster for this story! It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen,,,


	2. Reconstruction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra and Asami are going back to Republic City! While the newly betrothed lovers enjoy what little's left of their vacation, Mako and Bolin's investigation begins in earnest. Returning to the scene of the crime, the brothers hope to find some clue as to the identity of their victim, or their killer.

**Book Five  
Chi**

**Chapter Two  
Reconstruction**

  


The following day, Korra and Asami were dressed and ready to go.

Asami had phoned ahead for one of her ships to come pick them up the night before, and the two of them had broken the news of their betrothal to Korra’s parents as soon as they got home. Not that the necklace didn’t make that clear enough already. But, they had received their blessing, though they did show a little concern that maybe they were rushing things. Once Korra had assured them that they didn’t plan to run off and get married for another few years though, they were a little more understanding.

Packing the last of her bags and hugging her parents goodbye, Korra saddled up on Naga, pulling Asami up right behind her.

“Next stop, the harbor!” Korra announced, setting off with one final wave goodbye to her parents. Then once they’d faded into the distance and the two of them were well into the thick of the Southern Water Tribe, Korra decided to pop a question that’d been bugging her since the night before.

“You know, not that I’m complaining, since it means I get to spend a little more time alone with you and all, but,” Korra began, glancing back at the girl who had her arms wrapped around her waist. “Why did you call for a Future Industries ship? We probably could’ve made better time taking the Spirit Portals.” She asked.

“Well, my company didn’t stop working just because I wasn’t there, you know. This gives them a little extra time to prepare for my arrival and put together a briefing so I’m up-to-date on all our projects around the city.” She explained rather matter-of-factually, almost catching Korra by surprise. Not that it was any secret that Asami was the more practical one between the two of them, but still.

“Huh. That makes sense.” Korra supposed. Asami giggled.

“Yeah, but I _also_ did it because I wanted to make our vacation just a _little bit_ longer.” She admitted.

“Great minds think alike, huh?” Korra asked, laughing. “I’ve gotta say though, I’m a little excited to get back. I’ve really missed Republic City.”

“Yeah, me too,” Asami agreed. “Not that I’m looking forward to the mountain of paperwork and projects I’m gonna have to review, but, I _am_ excited to get back to city planning. Ravi’s good too, and he and I agree on a lot of things philosophically and design-wise, but nothing beats climbing into the driver’s seat yourself and drawing up a new map.” She swooned. Korra laughed again.

“Whatever you say, Sato.” She replied. “I know it’s only been a couple weeks, but it feels like a lifetime. I wonder how much has changed?” She thought aloud.

“Well, it _has_ only been a couple of weeks, I doubt anything _that_ drastic has happened.” Asami reasoned.

“Mm… yeah, I guess you’re probably right.” Korra agreed. “I think as soon as we get back to the city, I’m gonna go to Air Temple Island and collect all of my things from my old room,” she went on to announce.

After solidifying their betrothal, the two of them had decided that Korra would be moving in to the Sato Estate, with Asami. It was big and a little lonely for her to be there on her own now, especially now that Mako and Bolin’s family had moved out with the rest of the city’s refugees, electing to return to the Earth Kingdom territories.

“While I go and do that, you can go check on your company and we can meet up again later to see Mako and Bolin.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Asami agreed. “I’ll meet you on the island, so don’t feel like you have to go looking for me; I’m sure you and Tenzin will have a lot to talk about. You’re probably the first Avatar to ever spend so much time at once in the Spirit World.”

“That… is a good point actually.” Korra said. “Well, either way, I can’t wait.”

“Yeah… it’s gonna be good to be back home.”

“Republic City, here we come!” Korra announced.

Reaching the edge of the harbor now, Korra and Asami climbed off of Naga’s back, leaving what little luggage they had on her saddle as they led her along behind them. From there, it wasn’t that far of a walk to make it to Asami’s ship, and in no time, the three of them had made it aboard. As the vessel started its journey back to the shores of the United Republic, Korra couldn’t help but take one last look at her hometown behind her, before it faded completely from view.

Standing here, watching it shrink off into the distance, she felt like she was 17 again, heading out on her own to Republic City for the very first time. Although, to be fair, she _was_ a stowaway back then. Actually, come to think of it, she was on one of Asami’s ships back then, too, wasn’t she? Or at least, one of her company’s ships. It was almost poetic, in a way.

As the southern ice disappeared over the horizon, Korra could feel it, somewhere deep down inside of her. She wasn’t sure where it was coming from or how she knew, but she did – this was going to be one hell of an adventure.

  


*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  


“ _That’s right folks, you heard it here first! World-famous mover star Ryuuki Ayatsurishi is coming to Republic City to premiere his new film! A dramatic tale of murder, mystery and romance, ‘The Dancing Dragons’ promises to change the mover industry forever! And, as if that weren’t exciting enough, we here at the Republic City Chronicler have managed to snag an exclusive radio interview with the man of many roles himself! Mr. Ayatsurishi, tell us, what’s it like being back in Republic City for the first time since Kuvira’s devastating attack?”_

“ _Please, Chun, call me Ryuuki. She’s a little worse for wear, but there’s still nowhere else I’d rather be than Republic City. After all, it was this city that gave me the opportunity to become the man I am today. I owe my entire fortune and career to this city and its people for giving me the chance to follow my dreams, so for that reason, I’ve decided not only to premiere my new film here free of charge to whoever may want to see it, but to also donate a large sum of my own money to help out with the reconstruction efforts.”_

“ _Are you serious!?”_

“ _I am. It’s not much, but it’s the least I can do to help a city that helped me. I believe that movers are art and that art can change the world, and I hope that by donating some of the money I’ve made from my movers, I can help be a part of that change. On top of that, this city’s been through so much, I feel a free mover and a bit of celebration could be just what it needs to help take its mind off its troubles – just for a little bit.”_

“ _Incredible! You heard it here first, folks! Truly, you are a generous man, Ryuuki – Republic City thanks you from the bottom of her heart!”_

“ _And I thank her.”_

“ _Now, I’ve come to learn that your mover actually takes its name from a lesser-known Firebending form. It’s no secret that you yourself are quite the talented Firebender, so tell us, have you ever practiced this ancient ‘dance’ yourself? How does its title relate to your new mover?”_

“ _Haha, no, I’m afraid it’s not one of the forms I ever got to practice, though I’m definitely gonna give it a go now if I can ever get the chance. As for how it relates to the mover, ‘The Dancing Dragons’ tells the story of a torrid love affair between two Firebending-”_

*CLICK!*

“Ah, Mako, hey! I was listening to that! It was just getting to the good part, too!” Bolin cried, sitting on the passenger side of an RCPD cruiser. “Movers have come such a long way since the days of Nuktuk… *sniff*”

“Yeah, well, you can read about it in the paper and relive your glory days later. We’re here.” Mako replied, opening the door and climbing out of the Satomobile.

Bolin huffed. “They’re not my ‘glory days’, Mako; I’m not some washed-up has-been. I could easily get back into the business anytime I wanted! I’ve just been busy,” The former mover star defended, his voice lowering slightly at the mention of having been busy. Mako shook his head.

“Whatever you say, Bolin.”

Taking a moment to look around, Mako could feel his heart sink. It’d been a long time since he’d been to Dragon Flats and things had changed, a lot. He tried not to come to the more run-down parts of the city like this unless he absolutely had to, and when he did, he tried not to take it all in, but something about today made that difficult. This was never considered a particularly safe or affluent area even before Kuvira’s attack, but now?

This part of the city was messy, broken down, crime-ridden – there wasn’t a single house without some sort of damage to it, no shop without some boarded up windows and a broken facade, not a single family that wasn’t struggling to get by.

There were areas of the city that were largely unaffected, sure – plenty of them. But there was only so much space to go around and more displaced people than the city could accommodate. Expansion, while progressing quicker than anybody ever could’ve imagined, was still going to take time. But it was no secret that the city was putting more effort into expansion than reconstruction, especially when it came to the more lower-class neighborhoods like this.

It pissed Mako off to think about for too long. He may not have been the biggest fan of movers, but part of him hoped that what that Ryuuki guy said was true, and he was donating some of his money specifically for the sake of reconstruction. Heck, even Varrick was throwing some money this way, though he, too, was more interested in expansion than anything. Where did that leave the people here who had nowhere else to go?

“Yo, Mako, are you okay?” Bolin asked, noting that his brother had fallen silent. “...Is it your arm again?”

“What...? Oh, no, sorry. I’m fine. I was just thinking about how terrible all of this is. This used to be such a beautiful city, but now...” Mako sighed, shaking his head. “Kuvira will have to pay for what she’s done. Not just to this city, but every city.”

Bolin fell silent after this, a look of guilt on his face. No matter how much he may have wanted to take it back, he was still part of that.

“I’m sorry.” Bolin said. “I’m sure she’ll get the punishment she deserves.”

Mako moved on. “Let’s go. I don’t want to be here any longer than I have to.” Bolin quickly followed behind.

Taking a look around while they walked, Bolin, too, took in the sad state of things around here. Places close to the old Downtown like this one were some of the worst-off and most overcrowded, by both humans _and_ spirits. Though, strangely, he couldn’t see _any_ spirits out on the streets today – an unusual sight ever since that portal had opened. He made a quick note of this in his notepad, but immediately shrugged it off. Mako was more important right now.

“You know, you should have Korra take a look at your arm when she gets back from her vacation. She’s actually a pretty good healer! Maybe she can figure out why it’s bothering you and–”

“This should be the place.” Mako interrupted. Bolin seemed a little hurt.

“Wow. You know, for a Firebender, you can be pretty cold sometimes. If you don’t want to talk about something then just say so.” Bolin harrumphed, crossing his arms. His brother didn’t respond.

While Bolin hung back by the police tape which had cordoned off the part of the street where the body was found, Mako took the lead and knocked on the pop-marked wooden door of the Che residence. At first, there was no response. Mako knocked again. But it wasn’t until the third knock that somebody finally answered.

“I told you thugs before, whatever it is you want, we ain’t got any!” Came the voice from beyond the door.

“Um, Mr. Che? This is Detective Mako, from the RCPD. I’m here to follow up on the events of the other night. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?”

“What? A cop? Ugh, even worse! I told you everything I know already, so go away!” Mr. Che shouted in reply. Clearly, he was not a man who wanted to be disturbed.

“Sir, please, it’ll only take a minute. I was just hoping you could–”

“I said no!” Mr. Che interrupted. “Now please, go away! The last thing my family needs right now is to be seen talking to the fuzz!”

Mako sighed. Today was going to be a long one, wasn’t it?

“Well, it looks like we’re on our own with this one, Bo.” He complained, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Bolin frowned. “Wow… people are really scared around here, aren’t they?”

“Can you blame them? Not even the RCPD likes coming around here anymore, the Triple Threats basically run this place. He probably thinks the body is gang related and that if he’s seen talking to the cops, they’ll come pay him a visit. And the worst part is he’s probably right.”

Bolin frowned. That just didn’t seem right. Bringing his finger and thumb to his chin in thought, it wasn’t long before he had a new idea. If talking to them as a cop wasn’t going to work, then maybe…

“Here, let me give it a shot,” Bolin requested, cracking his knuckles and pushing past Mako to get to the door.

“Bolin, wait,” But it was too late – by the time he tried to stop him, Bolin had already knocked on the door.

Mako sighed again. “Great, now he’s going to be uncooperative _and_ angry.”

“Now what!? I thought I told you guys to go away!” The man behind the door shouted again, audibly more upset than before. But Bolin persisted.

“Sir? Hi, I’m Bolin, I’m new,” Bolin began. “See, this is actually my first case, and my partner and I could really use your help. I’m sure you saw that body we took away yesterday, right? Man, that thing was creepy, huh? I felt like I was gonna be sick just looking at it. Anyway, I don’t know about you, but I wanna find whoever it is that can do _that_ and get them off of the streets as quickly as possible, but in order to do that, we really need your help. Right now, you’re the best lead we’ve got.”

Really? That was his plan? Mako rolled his eyes. “Bolin, let’s just go.” He suggested, but Bolin refused to budge. He was about ready to pull him back to the car by force, when suddenly, Mr. Che elected to answer.

“...Did you say your name was Bolin?” He asked. “Now, why does that sound so familiar...”

“You might know me better as Nuktuk: Hero of the South? I also used to be a Pro Bender for a while there – the one and only Earthbender of the spectacular Fire Ferrets! Well, unless you count the Avatar. Technically, she was a Waterbender, but being the Avatar she could bend all four elements so she was technically an Earthbender, too, so I guess I wasn't the ONLY Earthbender of the Fire Ferrets, but–”

“Did you just say Nuktuk?”

“...Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me.” Mako facepalmed.

Much to his chagrin, the door finally opened. Standing there in the doorway was a man with a thick mustache who appeared to be in his mid-to-late 40s, his family huddled together behind him. From what Mako and Bolin could see, this included a wife and a daughter of about 10. The look on the man and his daughter’s faces said it all.

“I don’t believe this...” Mako groaned.

“IT _IS_ YOU!” Mr. Che cried, his daughter excitedly pushing past him and practically screaming when she saw Bolin’s face. When she pulled him into a hug, the man apologized, pulling her away and vigorously shaking Bolin’s hand. Meanwhile, his wife watched from the doorway, shaking her head. It seemed Mr. Che was feeling a lot more hospitable now.

“Why didn’t you say so before? My daughter and I are huge fans of your movers! Nuktuk: Hero of the South, defender of all that is right and sworn enemy of the evil Unalaq!” Mr. Che recited with a laugh. “Man, whatever happened to you? Why would you join the police?”

“It’s a long story sir, but basically, I just felt like I wasn’t doing everything I could’ve been. I wanted to be a real hero, a real Nuktuk, so I thought, what better way to do that then to follow in my brother’s footsteps and join the police?” Bolin confidently replied. “Like I said before, we could really use your help here. This is my first case, but it has us completely stumped, so if there’s anything you think you could tell us, anything at all, I’d really, _really_ appreciate it.”

“For you? Of course, anything you need!” Mr. Che replied. His daughter held onto his arm.

“See, Mako? This is what happens when you act less like a sourpuss and more like a regular person,” Bolin claimed.

“No, this is what happens when you used to be famous.” Mako disagreed.

“Used to be?” Bolin, Mr. Che and his daughter all asked in unison.

“Never mind.” Mako relented, deciding to remain silent from here on.

“Right! So, if you could walk us through what happened one more time?” Bolin asked, pulling out his pen and notepad.

“Of course. Like I told the other detectives, sometime late at night, around 1AM maybe, my family and I were woken up by flashing lights and what sounded like fighting coming from outside. The triads are constantly fighting over territory these days, so we thought maybe it was another turf war, but something just felt… off.” Mr. Che described. Bolin raised an eyebrow.

“Off?”

“I don’t know how to describe it other than I had this really sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, and the air around me felt really, really heavy. All of my hair was standing on end. Then there was a flash of bright light and everything just stopped, and the feeling went away. After things had quieted down for a couple of minutes, I took a look outside the window, but it was too dark to see. I assumed whatever was going on was over now and whoever was out there had run off, so we went back to sleep.”

“I see… hmm...” Bolin hummed, jotting down a couple of notes. Something he said seemed to have caught his interest, but for now, he wanted to let the man finish. “So when did you find the body, then?” He asked.

“That would be yesterday morning.” Mr. Che recalled, his expression becoming more grave. “I was checking the house to see if any damaged had been done when I found it. Most horrible thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m just glad my daughter didn’t see it.” The little girl’s grip on his arm tightened. She could tell her father was upset and it seemed to have her a little on edge, something Bolin immediately took note of.

“Don’t worry,” He reassured her, lowering himself down to her level. “Whatever happened here, it’s not gonna happen again. Officer Bolin and his partner Grumpy the Firebender are on the case now.” He half-joked, earning him a small smile. “Now, these lights you saw, can you remember what color they were?”

“The lights?” Mr. Che asked.

Bolin nodded. “Something you said got me thinking, but I need to know what color they were to be sure.”

“Hmm… I think they were white.” Mr. Che nodded. His daughter, however, disagreed.

“No, no, they were blue, like the sky, but really, _really_ bright.” She insisted.

“Oh? Well, maybe… they were so bright, they seemed white to me, but my eyes aren’t what they used to be.”

It was then that Bolin had an ‘aha’ moment, his face perking up. Hurriedly, he scribbled something down into his notebook which he promptly underlined, twice. He knew exactly what that was. “That sounds like Lightningbending to me.” He claimed. That immediately caught Mako’s attention.

“My brother here can bend lightning too, so I’m familiar with the feeling. The bright lights, the colors, the sickening feeling – it sounds exactly like a Lightningbender. It can be really unsettling if you’ve never really been around it before; all of your hairs stand up and the air feels really heavy, and awful. It’s a lot of energy to be around.” Bolin explained.

“He’s not wrong.” Mako agreed. “But if you were inside the building while everything was happening, then whoever it was must’ve been throwing around a heck of a lot of lightning for you to feel it from so far away.”

“Maybe our victim was the Lightningbender?” Bolin suggested. Mr. Che nodded.

“That would make more sense. The body I found looked more… _mummified_ than burned.” He shuddered.

“Either way, whether they were the victim or the attacker, it gives us a place to start.” Bolin smiled. “Thank you so much for your help. I know we kind of hounded you into coming out here.”

“Nonsense! Anything for the mighty Nuktuk.” Mr. Che smiled back. Suddenly, Bolin remembered.

“Oh, right! You two are fans, yeah? I might technically be on the clock right now, but since I'm here, how would you like an autograph, anyway?”

The man and his daughter didn’t even have to say anything. Her scream of glee was answer enough. Jumping up and down excitedly, she ran back inside only to come back out a moment later with a Nuktuk poster in hand. “It’s my most prized possession,” She announced, happily handing it over to Bolin to sign. “Just make it out to Li Li, your biggest fan!”

“And Wang Ping, too!” Mr. Che hurriedly tacked on.

Nodding, Bolin did as requested, throwing in a few extra words of encouragement (from Nuktuk, of course) and a second signature alongside his own (also from Nuktuk). Taking back the poster, the girl squeaked, running back inside to show her mom while her father shook his head.

“Thank you. Things have been really hard since Kuvira happened. I haven’t seen her smile like that in so long.” He said, once again shaking Bolin’s hand.

“No, thank _you_ – you two have helped us out a lot. I wish you guys good luck!” He cheered, saying his goodbyes to the family of three.

“I can’t believe _Nuktuk_ just got us a lead.” Mako complained. “I really hope you don’t let this go to your head.”

“Mako, please. I’m a professional.” Bolin replied, throwing back his hair and strutting confidently back to the cruiser.

Mako could only sigh. It seemed he was right after all. Today was going to be a long day.

  


*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  


Basking in the noonday sun, Korra stood atop the deck of her new fiancee’s ship. She was leaned up against the railing, watching with a smile while spirits and fish alike skipped along the water’s surface all around. Closing her eyes, she made sure to take it all in. The breeze on her skin, the scent of the ocean, the sound of the waves – if there was one thing she missed about her life in the south pole, it would be this. Sailing.

The last time she’d done it, she was completely alone, albeit by choice. She thought it was what she needed at the time, and in a way, it was. It was the beginning of a lot of traveling on her part, but by the end of it all, she supposed she found what she was looking for. It was the start of the path that led her back to to peace, and balance, and most importantly of all, to Asami.

“Fiancees, huh…?” She thought aloud, opening her eyes. “We’ve come a long way, haven’t we Naga?” She asked, addressing the polar bear dog curled up on the deck behind her. Naga raised an ear in response. “To think, not even a year ago I was wondering if I’d ever be the Avatar I used to be, and now–”

“And now you’re the greatest Avatar of all time.” Asami interrupted, coming up behind her. Korra just laughed.

“I’m flattered you think so, but I think I’m gonna be a little humble this time and disagree.” She replied. First time for everything, she supposed.

Asami smiled, leaning in and giving her fiancee a kiss. “I thought I might find you up here. Clearing your head?”

“Something like that. Being stuck in that ship all day was getting a little gloomy for me.” Korra explained.

“I figured it might. I just got done talking to the captain, he says we should reach Republic City by tomorrow afternoon.” Asami took a spot on the railing next to Korra.

“That soon, huh? I kinda wish you called for a slower ship.” Korra half-joked, prompting a giggle out of her fiancee. “I was just thinking of the last time I went sailing before you showed up.”

“I don’t think you’ve told me about that.”

“It was a little over 6 months ago, when I told my parents I’d be coming to Republic City. I got close to returning, but… I just wasn’t ready.” Korra frowned. She still felt a little guilty about that. “I still wasn’t in the best place back then, but I was trying. I wanted so badly for things to just be normal again, to be back with you and everybody else. But in the end I ran away.”

“It’s okay. I can’t imagine how you must’ve been feeling at the time.”

“Mm. I guess it was a good thing that I ran, though. If I hadn’t, I probably never would’ve met Toph and gotten the last of the poison out or anything. I wouldn’t have started the journey that led me here, to you.” Korra smiled. Asami smiled, too. “It’s funny how things work out sometimes. What seems so horrible at the time can sometimes seem so important in retrospect, like… like… like a stepping stone to something bigger and better than what you had before.”

“That sounds like something Iroh would say.” Asami teased. Korra laughed.

“He kinda rubs off on you after a while.” Korra remarked, reminiscing about their time with him. Her smile grew wider. “I still can’t believe you actually beat him at Pai Sho. The look on his face was priceless.”

“Like I said before, daughter of an evil genius~” Asami basked, flipping her hair for show. Korra loved it when she did that.

“Hot.” Korra remarked, staring intently and with a rather suggestive look on her face. Asami elbowed her gently, causing her to laugh. “Everything's changing so much lately, but for once, I couldn't be more excited. Tomorrow's going to be a great day, I can feel it.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Asami smiled. “So… the sun’s gonna be setting soon, and we've still got a night and a morning to ourselves before our vacation is officially over. Wanna head back down below deck and see if we can't make the most of it?” She asked with eyebrows raised, eliciting a knowing grin from Korra in response.

“Girl, you just read my mind. Bet you I can make it back downstairs before you can.” She wagered, the same grin that was on her face making it's way over to Asami's.

“Oh, you are _so_ on.”

  


*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  


As the sun set over the Republic City skyline, Mako let loose a tired yawn. As he’d suspected, it’d been a long day. He just didn’t think it’d be such a _boring_ one.

After returning from the Che residence, all that awaited the two brothers was studying and paperwork. While Bolin elected to take care of the latter, Mako took care of the former, digging through book after book of registered Lightningbenders and cross referencing them with missing persons reports or criminals known to hang out in the Dragon Flats area. It was a long, tedious process, but it had to be done. Bolin had scored them their first solid lead and somebody had to follow up on it.

Of course, all of this work was assuming their victim was even a registered bender in the first place, and doubly assuming that they were the one to bend lightning at the time of the attack. It was entirely possible that they were an unregistered immigrant or a previously uncaptured triad goon, or even just some random Zhou who neglected to register his abilities with the United Republic. While Lightningbending was more common now than it was 100 years ago, it was still fairly uncommon and, more importantly, controlled.

Given the current state of the body, matching faces was impossible, and not every name in his books had a photo ID attached. But, using the estimated height and weight before death of their victim, he could, theoretically, narrow down the list a bit. Theoretically being the operative word. So far, he’d had no luck.

Looking up from his books, he found a not-so-neatly stack of papers filled out and ready to go, and his brother’s sleeping face drooling on top of them. Rolling his eyes, he figured it was up to him to wake him up before he ruined them all.

“Bolin. Hey, Bolin,” Mako began, shaking his brother. Reluctantly, Bolin stirred.

“Huh? What? I'm awake, chief...” Bolin mumbled, stretching out his arms with a yawn. “...Oh, Mako. What’s up? Did you find our guy?”

“No, not yet. But hey, it’s been a long day. Why don’t you head back to your apartment and get some sleep? I’ll stay behind and finish up here tonight. We’re still waiting on that call from Dr. Lou, anyway.” Mako suggested. Bolin shook his head.

“No, no, it’s fine, I can stay a little while longer,” Bolin claimed between yawns. “It’s not like I have anything to do until later, anyway. I’m taking Opal out to dinner at 8; one of our favorite restaurants just reopened this week and I promised her I’d take her tonight. But until then, I’m all for a little bit of overtime!”

“Uh, Bolin? It IS later. It’s almost 8 right now.” Mako wasn’t sure if there were words that could adequately describe the look of sheer terror that overtook Bolin’s face in that moment, and quite frankly, neither am I.

It was the kind of look you’d see on somebody walking in on somebody doing something that shouldn’t be walked in on. The kind of look you’d expect an ant to make as it realized it was about to be crushed by a boot. The kind of look you make upon discovering that 100,000 angry hornets have made a nest in your bedroom and you’re allergic to hornet stings. It was _that_ kind of look.

“OHHHHHH CRAP. Crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrap!” Bolin cursed, pulling at his hair as he jumped up from his seat and ran in place, looking around the room for an exit. “I can NOT miss another date, Opal's ready to kill me as it is! Sorry Mako, looks like I'm not gonna be able to help tonightaftERALLGOODLUCK!!!” And with that, Bolin dashed out of the room at supersonic speeds, leaving the detective alone with his list of benders.

With his brother gone, Mako leaned back and stretched, letting loose another tired yawn. Much as he may have wanted to follow in Bolin’s footsteps and get out of here, he didn’t have such a convenient excuse he could justify it to himself with. Working overtime was kind of his thing, anyway. Like the officers always joked, Mako was practically married to that desk of his.

After a moment more of silence, Mako sat back up straight and prepared to get back to work. These names weren’t going to cross-reference themselves, he thought. But just as soon as he’d returned to the books, as if on cue, the phone on Mako’s desk began to ring . Picking it up almost immediately, he thanked the spirits for saving him from more reading.

“Hello? …Oh! Dr. Lou! So you figured it out? …I see. …Okay, got it, I’m on my way down.” With the message he’d been waiting for finally received, Mako hung up the phone. Picking up the file on his desk, he walked across to the elevator and headed down to the morgue. With any luck, this would be the break in the case he’d been hoping for.

Arriving at the morgue about a minute and a half after hanging up the phone, Mako walked out into a long, dimly lit hall. He passed by a number of dark, empty rooms before coming up on the one he was looking for – Room #5 – which also appeared to be the only one currently in use. Either this place was a little understaffed, or Dr. Lou was as much a fan of overtime as Mako was.

“Ah, detective Mako my boy, you move quickly ,” Dr. Lou greeted with a laugh, looking up from his desk and motioning for him to come in. “No partner, today?” He asked.

“‘Fraid not, prior engagement.” Mako replied.

“Mm, shame, but I guess we can’t all be married to our work.” Dr. Lou mused.

“So you said I might actually be able to identify the body now?”

“Ah, yes, I’ve managed to re-hydrate it somewhat; it looks more like a floater than a mummy now. It’s not perfect, but, it’s better than what we had before, I suppose.” The M.E. replied, accompanying Mako to the examination table. In front of them was a much different, but still rather disturbing body. It wasn’t something Mako wanted to spend any extended amount of time looking at, in fear it’d find him in his dreams.

“With any luck, this will be good enough a reconstruction to identify the poor soul. As you can see, the discoloration your partner noticed last time is a lot more well-defined now, as well. As it happens, it’s–”

“A hand print?” Mako interrupted. Dr. Lou nodded. It was a little distorted still, but there was no mistaking that shape. “So he was burned, then?”

“Aha, now that’s where this becomes interesting,” The doctor smiled. Mako raised an eyebrow, turning from the body to Dr. Lou alone. “It looks like a burn, but it’s not! There is no heat damage to the epidermis as one would expect to find, none at all! If I were to compare it to anything, it would be more akin to a tattoo than a burn, but there is also no ink in the skin whatsoever. It’s really quite the mystery what caused it, but it’s plain as day what it is. Whoever did this, I haven’t the slightest clue how.”

Answer one question, open the door to another. Great. And here Mako was hoping for the key to cracking the case.

“You’re just lucky that I’m a Waterbender, my boy! I’m not sure an ordinary person would’ve been able to re-hydrate him like this otherwise. Though I have to admit, I’m rather surprised how well it turned out, all things considered.”

It wasn’t a terribly uncommon trait to have in the medical field, Mako supposed. He _did_ wonder why someone with healing abilities like Dr. Lou would choose to surround himself with dead patients rather than living ones, but Mako wasn’t here to pry into the man’s personal life. So, returning his focus to the body, he – somewhat reluctantly – took a closer look at the man’s face.

Suddenly, he thought he recognized him and double checked his list. It was difficult to gauge details like age with the condition he was in, but he was recognizable enough that after a couple of seconds, he’d matched the face on their victim to a face from his registration book.

“Two-Faced Kazuo...” Mako announced.

“Whom?” Dr. Lou inquired.

“He was an enforcer for the Triple Threats, and a pretty high-ranking one at that.” Mako identified with confidence. “After having read through his file earlier, I’m almost surprised somebody managed to kill him. He took down a lot of cops and fellow gang members alike in his time, thus the name. There aren’t many people who’d want to mess with him.”

Suffice it to say, he wasn’t somebody that Mako was going to shed any tears over. Still, he had to wonder who would – or even could – have taken him down? He was pretty well-known on the streets according to his file, and crossing the Triple Threats typically wasn’t good for a person’s health. The way he saw it, this was most likely either a crime of opportunity and somebody had managed to catch him off guard, or the work of a rival gang.

The only thing that didn’t track was the way he was killed. It was just too abnormal, even for the Triads – it wasn’t like anything he’d ever seen before. As the doctor had explained earlier, it was always possible that this was just some horrifying new form of Waterbending, but it seemed to be closer to Bloodbending in execution. But that wasn’t something just anybody could do, and virtually _no one_ could do it without a full moon.

Unless Yakone happened to have had some more kids running around that nobody knew about, a Bloodbender probably didn’t do this. Besides, it didn’t track with the other information he knew from reading over the autopsy report. Whatever did this had drained him of more than just blood, it had drained him of everything. Every drop of liquid in his body was gone. Even his internal organs were shriveled up and dry.

If Mako  was being perfectly honest, this didn’t seem like bending at all. It almost seemed… _inhuman_.

“...Doctor, during your second examination, did you come across anything that might be able to help explain what did this to him?” Mako asked.

“Well, no, but... I did notice something a little strange when I was trying to circulate the water through his body.”

“Strange? Strange how?”

Dr. Lou turned around, removing his thick, round glasses to look Mako directly in the eye, the look on his face markedly more serious than it was before. So it was _that_ kind of strange. “Put simply, detective, this man has absolutely no chi left in him whatsoever.”

“Now, I know what you’re thinking – why would a dead man have any chi? But chi doesn’t just suddenly disappear when you die. It’s stored in all of your muscles, bones, energy pathways, your internal organs – it leaves your body gradually as it decays. Unless somebody has been dead for a couple of months – which I can assure you, this man was _not_ – then normally, you’d expect to find _something_. But this man has none. It’s almost as if it were drained from him along with every fluid in his body, and for that, I have no explanation.”

The look on Mako's face became decidedly more grim. Bending that could remove chi? Was that even possible? The more he heard, the more he began to side with his gut on this one. This did not seem human.

“...You don't think...” Mako began, considering his options carefully before he asked the question. “You don’t think a spirit could have done this, do you?”

Dr. Lou remained silent. This was not a normal death. The virtual mummification was one thing, but to completely drain a body of chi? There was no bender that could do that. This was, quite simply, beyond him.

“That... detective... is something you're going to have to figure out for yourself.” The M.E. slowly replied, putting his glasses back on. “I’m afraid I’ve done all I can with Mr. Kazuo here. I don’t think his body has any more secrets to be divulged. I will be returning it to storage and submitting my report to Chief Beifong in the morning.” He announced, putting the body away before grabbing his hat and coat. It seemed that while Mako continued to stand there considering the possibilities, the M.E. was preparing to leave the morgue.

Dr. Lou shook his head, sighing. “You should go home and get a good night’s sleep tonight, my boy! Doctor’s orders.” He said. “Whatever happened here, I get the feeling you’re going to want to go at it at 100%. You can ask the Chief for my number should another body like this one present itself, but for now, I’m going home. Goodnight, detective.”

With that, Dr. Lou gave a short bow and left the room; he’d seen all that he needed to see for one night. But Mako lingered for a couple moments longer. If this really was because of some sort of spirit, then Korra sure picked one heck of a time to disappear on vacation.

Letting loose an annoyed sigh, Mako rubbed the bridge of his nose. The doctor was right. He'd been at this all day; a little relaxation couldn't hurt. All he could do now was hope whatever did this to Kazuo, it wouldn’t do it again. Because if it really was what he thought it was, no police force in the world could possibly apprehend it.


	3. Pomp and Circumstance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a lone meeting with Dr. Lou, Mako has come up with a shocking theory as to the identity of the killer in his and Bolin's mysterious 'Mummy Maker' investigation! Meanwhile, Korra and Asami return to Republic City and are immediately bombarded by the press, while Varrick has begun inviting friends and colleagues to a major mover premiere!

**Book Five  
Chi**

**Chapter Three  
Pomp and Circumstance**

 

The following morning, in Republic City’s rapidly expanding business district, a tall, dark skinned man sat behind a desk beneath which he could barely fit his knees. His frame was far too large for what had clearly been designed with somebody else in mind, but he made do. On closer inspection, the nameplate on his desk read ‘Asami Sato, CEO’. But this man clearly wasn’t Asami Sato.

His name was Ravi, and he was the acting CEO of Future Industries while its rightful head was taking a well deserved break. Just by looking around, it was apparent that this room wasn’t his own, and it wasn’t just because of the desk. Personal effects of Asami lay everywhere, primarily in the form of unfinished concepts and meticulously drawn-up blueprints. Combined with the occasional picture or two, he looked how he felt – a stranger in somebody else's home.

This wasn’t to say he didn’t appreciate the room’s décor, however. Asami always did have a thing for reds. The color was adorning the lush carpet below and painting the walls in paler shades, and Ravi blended right in. His hair was an uncommon shade of red that he’d swear up and down to be natural, and his eyes, a striking forest green. Suffice it to say, with his height to top it off, he was not somebody you would easily lose in a crowd.

All around him, the sounds of construction raged. Unlike many buildings in Republic City, Future Industries Tower still stood after Kuvira’s attack. This wasn’t to say it escaped the battle unscathed, however. Considerable damage had been done to its foundations and internal structure, and its facade was now a little worse for wear; it simply wasn’t built with earthquakes in mind. But that was what that battle had essentially subjected it to with every heavy footfall of that giant mecha suit.

Thankfully, Zaofu’s decision to help rebuild Republic City meant that there was a surplus of Metalbenders at the ready, and it hadn’t been long before the building was safe to enter again. While he’d only had the chance to use this office these last couple of days, he’d gradually begun making himself at home.

Where Asami’s designs would’ve once been spread across her desk, there were now only documents that it was his job to review. A case of cigars could be seen to the left, and a chunk of what appeared to be meteorite was situated on a pedestal nearby. Sitting on the right of the desk, a folder bearing the name of Varrick Global Industries sat at the top of a small pile.

Whether he liked it or not, Ravi was a very busy man. It came as no surprise then that he’d be in the middle of signing another contract when a knock at the door had caught his attention.

“Mr. Ravi, sir,” Built like a twig, a man whose voice did not match his appearance walked into the room. He was Asami’s – and for now, Ravi’s – personal secretary, Li Wei. “I’ve just received word from Captain Hayato. Ms. Sato and the Avatar will be back by late afternoon today.”

Ravi smiled. As expected from their fastest ship. “That’s good news. Thank you, Li Wei.”

The secretary bowed and then left the room.

Picking up his meteorite, Ravi leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and studying the rock with his hands. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate Asami’s faith in him, but this was just _not_ his kind of job. He was happy to hear she was returning. He was less happy, however, to hear another knock at his door and a distressed Li Wei begging whoever was knocking not to enter the room.

“Ravi! Good to see you! How’ve you been!?”

Entering the office uninvited and entirely unannounced was Sir Varrick of the Southern Water Tribe. And just when Ravi thought he was going to get a little rest, too.

 _‘Typical Varrick’_ , Ravi thought. A sigh escaped his lips as he sat back up in his chair to meet his new business partner face-to-face.

“Ah, Varrick, hello. I wasn’t expecting you.” Ravi calmly welcomed. Varrick didn’t really seem to be paying that much attention. Instead, his focus was on the temporary CEO’s new office space. It’d been a long time since Varrick had been in this room, and he couldn’t help but take a peek at what its rightful owner had been designing in her spare time.

“Nobody expects me, kid, not even me. All part of the Varrick experience!” He  announced, briefly investigating one of Asami’s concepts and then haphazardly tossing it behind him. Thankfully, his new wife, Zhu Li, was there to catch it and neatly put it back where it was before it hit the ground.

“I’m so sorry for the intrusion,” She apologized.

“Nonsense, Ravi loves me!” Varrick insisted. “I see they finally gave you the keys to the kingdom, huh? This is much nicer than that dingy closet you were in last time I swung by. It suits you!”

“Thank you…  I think? But it’s only temporary.” Ravi reminded him. “So, Mr. Varrick, what can Future Industries do for you today?”

“Hm?” Varrick appeared confused. That’s right – he totally forgot to mention why he was here.

“Oh, no, actually, it’s what I can do for you! See, I’ve got some primo seats lined up for the premiere of that new mover they were talking about on the news, so I’m inviting a bunch of people and making a night out of it! We’ve all been working our butts off lately building and rebuilding this city, so I figured, why not take a night off, relax, enjoy some quality entertainment?” Varrick exuberantly described. “I’m telling you Ravi, this Ryuuki kid’s a talent like I’ve never seen. it’s like he was BORN TO LIE!”

While Varrick’s… eccentricities, may have caught Ravi off guard in the past, he’d since grown accustomed to them. As such, he remained completely unflappable, calmly replying to Varrick’s less-than-calm invitation.

“Well, thank you for thinking of me, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline. I’ve just received word that Ms. Sato will be returning to us this afternoon, and there’s a lot to be done before she arrives.” Ravi described. Not that a mover didn’t sound nice, but there was just too much to be done. Honestly, he wondered where Varrick found the time for it. Though, his business practices _were_ a little unorthodox. Sometimes he wondered if the rumors of him having a platypus bear on his board of directors were true.

“Oh, Asami’s coming back? That’s great news!” Varrick celebrated, picking his teeth in a mirror. “The premiere isn’t for another couple of days, so that should be enough time to get things in order, no? In fact, invite Ms. Sato and the Avatar for me when they get back! I’ve already lined up the President and his wife, might as well go for the whole shebang of Republic City’s leaders, eh? Though I guess that means I should go see if that stick-in-the-mud Tenzin is up for it, too...”

“Oh, a couple of days from now? That _would_ be better...” Ravi thought aloud. “I’ll pass along your invitation and let you know what they say. Perhaps we can work something out.”

“GREAT!” Varrick shouted, an almost inhumanly wide smile on his face. “I’m looking forward to it! Now to go invite Bolin. He used to be part of the movers, he should definitely be up for it! Zhu Li, we’re off!” ...And just like that, as immediately as he’d arrived, Varrick was gone. But at least his wife was a little bit more polite, staying behind a moment longer.

“I’m sorry again for the intrusion. I really hope you can make it. It would be wonderful to have you, Korra, and Asami join us, Ravi.”

“I’d be delighted to attend.”

Zhu Li smiled, bowing once and then turning to follow her husband. Surprisingly, he seemed to be waiting for her just outside the door, as opposed to dashing off without her like he normally would have. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same?

Left alone with his thoughts once more, the sounds of construction began filtering back into Ravi’s awareness. Varrick always did have a tendency to be the loudest thing in a room. Still, those visits of his always were ‘fun’, he supposed. He just wished this one hadn’t cut into his scheduled break time.

“Well, so much for that nap.” He complained, reluctantly returning to work.

  


*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  


Back at his apartment, a freshly showered, freshly shaven and mostly dressed Mako prepared himself a simple plate of buttered toast for breakfast. While in the past he would’ve cooked something more substantial for two, with Bolin moved in to his own apartment with Opal, Mako saw no need to not be his happily bland self. A radio in the corner was tuned to a local jazz station and the paper was set out on the table in front of his couch, waiting for him to sit down with his food.

Last he’d checked the paper, if the current rate of work continued, it was estimated that the current Republic City Reconstruction & Expansion Plan would be completed within the space of a year. It was a long time for people like Wang Ping and Li Li to have to struggle for no good reason, he thought. While ‘reconstruction’ may have been publicly on the city’s agenda, privately, it didn’t seem to be one of the United Public’s primary concerns right now.

It was frustrating, to say the least. If they kept focusing on expansion at the expense of reconstruction, it could potentially end up dragging things out an extra 6 months, at least. Maybe if more effort was spent rebuilding what the city already had, things would be less crime-ridden and hectic than they were. If only Raiko thought the same. That guy was just holding this city back, Mako thought.

Taking a bite of toast, Mako sat down and took a look at the paper’s headlines . This quickly revealed itself to be a bad idea. The headline read, “Strange Body Found in Dragon Flats Leaves Police Stumped!” Mako just sighed. How did the press even find out about… oh, who was he kidding. With all the new recruits lately, it wasn’t that big a surprise somebody had leaked the details to the Chronicler. That didn’t make it any less annoying, though. The Chief was going to tear him a new one for this.

At least the second top story was a little better: “Avatar and Future Industries CEO Picked Up from South Pole”. Given his most recent theories regarding his current case, Mako couldn’t help but feel some relief at seeing Korra was due to return.

“Took her long enough.” He thought aloud. He’d be lying if he said he wasn't feeling a little anxious too, though. It’d been two weeks without a word. She never even told him she was leaving, let alone where she was going or who she was going with. He had to hear the news secondhand. Right when he thought the two of them were on good terms again, too.

Suddenly, a knock at the door tore his attention away from the newspaper. Who would be bothering him this early, he wondered? Opening the door, he found his brother already dressed in full uniform waiting for him outside.

“Morning, Mako!” Bolin chirped, letting himself in.

“Bolin? What are you doing here?” Mako asked, closing the door behind him.

“Just thought I’d drop by, say hi, see how you were doing. You seemed pretty upset yesterday, so I wanted to make sure everything was alright before we headed to work!”

Mako smiled. That was actually pretty thoughtful of him. “Thanks, Bo. Everything’s fine. I’ve just been under a lot of stress lately is all.” He claimed, formally inviting his brother into his apartment by offering him a seat. Bolin politely declined the offer, reminding Mako they were going to be late. Checking the time, Mako saw his brother was right.  He reached for his gloves and grabbed his uniform’s coat from the rack.

“So how was your date?” Mako asked, heading for the door and motioning for his brother to follow. They could talk along the way.

Bolin smiled. “Oh, it was great! We’ve been slowly getting back to how things were before Kuvira. I feel like such an idiot for everything that happened.” He sighed.

“You’re not an idiot, Bolin. You’re a little eccentric, sure, but so is Varrick, and he’s one of the most successful men in the world. Of course, you actually have a moral compass.” Mako quipped.

Bolin waved his hand at Mako’s insinuation. “Oh, Varrick’s not so bad! He’s made some mistakes in the past, yeah, but he’s been changing a lot lately! Ever since he saw what Kuvira was doing with his technology he’s been like a whole different guy. You should give him another chance.”

“Eh, maybe. He _has_ been working pretty hard to help out with the city lately. Still, I can’t help but feel like there’s some sort of ulterior motive at play whenever it comes to that guy.” Mako shrugged.

“See? He’s not so bad!” Bolin insisted. Mako wasn’t so sure, but he wasn’t going to fight him on it. Opening the door to his Satomobile, he immediately hopped into the driver’s seat before his brother could protest. He had to admit, though, it was a lot cleaner than Bolin kept his.

“I’ll drive,” Mako announced.

“But you always drive!” Bolin groaned. But Mako had already started the car. “Ugh, fine. Did you make any progress on our case after I ran out on you last night? I really wanted to help out, but, you know.”

“Yeah. Victim’s Two-Faced Kazuo, an enforcer for the Triple Threats. The discoloration you saw turned out to be a handprint, but we have no clue what caused it. It doesn’t seem to be consistent with a burn or any form of bending, as far as Dr. Lou can tell.”

“Wow. Somebody offed a Triple Threat right smack dab in the middle of their territory? We might not have to catch this guy after all. They’ll probably get to him long before we do.” Bolin half-joked, his face becoming a little more serious when he noticed Mako’s own. “...What’s wrong?”

“I dunno. Something about this case just feels wrong. Looking at that body again… I don’t know. Dr. Lou mentioned something else last night, about Kazuo’s chi. Something had drained it along with every fluid in his body. I’m starting to think this may have been some sort of spirit attack.”

Bolin frowned. “Are you sure?” He asked. “Lin’s not gonna be happy about that.”

“I know, but, the facts are the facts, and so far, everything’s pointing to whatever did this not being human.” Mako sighed.

“Well, good thing Korra and Asami are coming back today, then!” Bolin reminded, immediately smiling again. “Gosh, I’ve missed those two.”

Mako meanwhile seemed a little less certain. “Yeah, I guess.”

“You guess? …Did something happen between you guys again?” Bolin pressed. Mako wasn’t really sure how to answer.

“I don’t even know anymore.” He admitted. “All I know is, she picked the worst possible time to disappear for two weeks without telling anybody. This city really needed her. Both of them.”

“Oh come on, they deserved a little break.” Bolin insisted.

“Yeah, well, I don’t think right after a major attack was the best time.”

Bolin wasn’t really sure what to say, and before he could really think of anything, they had arrived.

The two silently made their way through the new precinct, heading upstairs through the detectives’ area and straight to Lin’s office. They figured it best to give her their latest findings in-person. Just as Bolin had warned, however, she was not happy to hear what they had to say.

“You think my suspect is a _WHAT_?”

“A… a spirit, ma’am.” Mako repeated meekly, feeling as though he’d just swallowed a wood frog. He completely expected an “I told you so” face from his brother, but quite frankly, a pissed off Beifong was as terrifying a concept to Bolin as it was Mako. Maybe even more-so, in fact.

“…I know it's an unorthodox theory, but if you read Dr. Lou's report, I just can't see a human as being able to do this to somebody. I mean, ripping out all of his bodily fluids is one thing, but his chi, too? The only thing I can think of that might be able to do that would be a spirit.” Mako tentatively explained.

Lin sighed. “Great, this is the last thing I need… the Avatar’s on vacation, crime’s through the roof, the triads are gutsier than ever, and Raiko’s breathing down my neck expecting me to do something about all of it _yesterday_.” She rubbed her temples. “Now you’re telling me I have to deal with some sort of renegade spirit, too? You better be damn sure about this. The press is already having a field day with your case. They’ve dubbed it the ‘Mummy Maker’ case.”

Mako and Bolin shared a look. ‘The Mummy Maker’? It did have kind of a nice ring to it, but...

“I think Mako might actually be onto something, Chief,” Bolin spoke up with some trepidation. “Normally, Dragon Flats is crawling with spirits, it has been ever since the North and South Spirit Portals were opened – even more since the city portal opened. But when we were down there yesterday, I didn’t see any, anywhere. It was almost as if something had scared them all off. I don’t think there’s a bender on earth who can do that other than the Avatar, but, maybe a corrupted spirit could?”

It was a good point, but that didn’t mean Lin had to like it.

“Okay, let’s say you’re right. Let’s say we have some sort of psycho spirit going on a killing spree in Republic City. Just what do you propose we do about that, hm? Throw it into spirit prison? Shove it back through the Spirit Portal? It’ll get out of anything we put it in and our bending won’t mean diddly squat against them.” Lin warned.

“...Spree?” Mako asked. Lin slid a newspaper across her desk, the same one Mako had been looking at back at his apartment. He hadn’t had the chance to read the full story and had assumed the attached photo was of the body they’d found the other day. It wasn’t. This one also appeared to have been found in Dragon Flats.

Lin sighed. “Look, the Avatar’s coming back today. I want you to bring her in on this investigation as soon as that ship of hers reaches shore, capiche? If you’re right about this, then I don’t think _my_ benders are going to be of much use to you. But I’m not just going to sit on my ass all day, either. I’m doubling patrols in Dragon Flats tonight on the off chance that this isn’t a spirit. You two just make sure you come back with the Avatar tonight, and we’ll put together a plan to track this thing down.”

“Oh, and Bolin,” Lin continued, the Earthbender gulping loudly on hearing his name mentioned. “I heard about what you did yesterday, and that you were the one who found that discoloration the day before. You did good work. I’m impressed.”

“Uh… thanks, Chief…” Bolin supposed, looking over at Mako. His older brother just gave him a smile and a nod.

When the tow had turned to walk away, Lin suddenly interjected one last time. “Oh yeah, one more thing before you two go. About the Avatar,” She began, almost having forgotten. “President Raiko caught wind of her return, too. He’s insisting on making it some big event and is having some of my Metalbenders provide security. I’ll add you two to the team so you can get to her right away. Don’t take no for an answer.” She warned. “Okay, dismissed.”

“Well, leave it to Raiko to over-complicate things yet again.” Mako complained upon leaving the room, walking back to his desk with Bolin in tow.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I highly doubt whatever media circus he has in mind is what Korra’s looking forward to immediately after coming home. And quite frankly, I don’t want to be a part of it.” Mako groaned. Bolin disagreed.

“Oh come on, President Raiko isn’t that bad,”

“Bolin, please. I can admire the fact that you only see the best in people, but you weren’t the one attached at the hip to a whiny prince because of him. He doesn’t really care what other people think or have to say, he just wants to do whatever’s going to earn him the most political points.”

Bolin wasn’t really sure how to respond to that. His brother may have had a point.

“Come on. We need to find whoever’s leading Raiko’s security and let them know we’re joining in.” Mako said.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  


“You know, somehow, I didn’t expect there to be so many people. I don't know what I was thinking.”

And just like that, any hopes that she may have had of a nice, quiet return to Republic City with her new fiancee were dashed with one quick look toward the city's Southern Harbor. A crowd of hundreds were gathered by the pier already, anxiously awaiting the two girls’ return, and the sight made Korra’s heart sink.

Korra was standing next to Naga and Asami atop the deck of their ship, and she could already hear the cheering from there. Was her return really that big of a deal? Given how many people had gathered, she imagined the press were probably at the front of the crowd. Korra wasn’t sure she was ready to be assaulted by dozens of questions she had no intention of answering. They were the _last_ people she wanted to deal with right now.

“And here I was hoping for a day or two to settle in.” Korra groaned. Asami placed a comforting hand on her fiancee’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry. I guess news of me contacting my company got out.”

“No, no, it’s fine, you don’t have to apologize.” Korra sighed, kissing Asami on the cheek. “I probably should’ve expected this. This is my fault, really.”

Spirits, they were probably going to be asking her about Asami, weren’t they? How they just up and disappeared into the Spirit World together? And for two weeks, no less. She wondered, how many rumors had cropped up since she’d left? That was going to be awkward.

“I just hope they aren’t too critical of you.” Asami hoped, speaking of Korra. “Deciding to leave right after the dust settled like that.”

“Eh, I’m used to it,” Korra shrugged off. “It’s you I’m more worried about. I’ve never been very popular, but you’re different. They’re probably going to be pretty critical about you running off with the Avatar instead of rebuilding the city. It’s like they forget that we’re human, or something.” She sighed. She probably wasn’t too far off. “I just hope they don’t ask about, you know, us,”

Asami laughed. “Don’t worry about it, I know how to handle the press. We don’t have to answer anything we don’t have to, and anything else? Just let them talk. They’d probably be right, anyway~” Asami winked, causing Korra’s cheeks to immediately become flushed. Hardly!

“Yeah, well, whether they are or not, I’d like _some_ amount of privacy, thank you,” Korra somewhat awkwardly replied, defending her position. “But oh well. If it comes to that, then I guess I’ll just have to get a little rough with them and help them see it _my_ way.” She concluded with a self-assured grin, pounding her fist into her hand.

“My hero,” Asami swooned.

Normally, she’d advise her fiancee _against_ threatening the press, but she couldn’t say she disagreed with her this time. Asami felt bad already for the first paparazzi to inevitably try to sneak onto the Sato Estate after Korra moved in. They were probably going to be learning the meaning of fear shortly thereafter, and how to walk again shortly after that.

With the tension of the situation successfully diffused, the girls were as ready as they’d ever be. As their ship neared the pier, the cheering grew louder and louder. In a way, Korra could feel it pumping her up more and more, at first biting her lip, but then smiling wider and wider. She’d actually kind of missed this, come to think of it.

Finally, they had arrived. Holding on to her fiancee’s hand, Korra helped her up onto Naga’s back and the three of them walked off together.

The clicks and whines of shutters and flashbulbs filled the air, cameras going off all around them, while the two of them smiled and waved from atop Naga’s back. The large polar bear dog appeared to be a little upset by all of the lights and the noise, but she was keeping her cool. Unsurprisingly, the reporters gathered near the front were already trying to ask questions, but it was impossible to hear them over the cheers.

As much as Korra wished she could’ve had a nice quiet walk back into town, she had to admit she was still rather flattered to see so many people welcoming her back. She wasn’t sure she’d ever really get used to receiving this kind of treatment from people, especially with her track record. She honestly kind of liked it. It was a nice little confidence booster.

Upon reaching the crowd, it became clear that the city had prepared for their arrival in advance. A path roughly the width of the pier had been carved through the center of those gathered by red velvet ropes, and Metalbending officers were stationed at both ends. Two were by the docks, nodding a hello as Korra and Asami passed them by, with another two further in, keeping the crowd at bay.

At the end of the path were a stage and a podium. Whoever set this up was fully expecting a press conference whether they wanted to give one or not, and they both had a sneaking suspicion who. There was only one man who would make this big a spectacle out of something like this.

And there, waiting for them a couple dozen feet in front of the stage, was exactly who they expected. President Raiko was waving hello. What was more unexpected were Mako and Bolin standing at attention by his side. Korra and Asami shared a confused look. Reaching the end of the path that’d been provided for them, Korra’s smile and tone became a little more awkward as she addressed the one responsible for this crowd.

“President Raiko,” She greeted, still sitting atop Naga. “I didn’t expect to see you here… or all these people, for that matter. I take it this was all your idea?” She commented, trying not to sound _too_ displeased or accusatory.

“Avatar Korra, Ms. Sato,” Raiko greeted back. “I hope I wasn’t being too presumptuous, here. I figured the two of you would want to put together a press conference post-haste and formally announce your return.” He smiled, hands folded behind his back. Cameras continued to go off all around them. Korra and Asami just tried to maintain their smiles as to not send the wrong message, but Raiko could sense their unease.

Noting the press all around them, he walked forward to shake Korra’s hand. In reality, however, it was a gesture meant so he could lean in to elaborate a bit further.

“To be perfectly honest with you two, things have been fairly unstable in Republic City as of late. As soon as it got out that you two were coming back, people immediately started talking. Between the aftershocks of Kuvira, the rebuilding of the city, the threat of the triads, and all the other crazy stuff going on these days, the people could really use a little pomp and circumstance right about now. What better way to do that than the triumphant return of their Avatar and the head of the company who helped shape their city?”

Well, when he put it that way… Korra and Asami exchanged another look. They supposed he had a point. If things really were as bad as he made it seem, then maybe their return was a big deal after all. Maybe things were worse off than they’d initially assumed.

“Well, I guess you’re right,” Korra conceded, turning back to the elected leader of the United Republic. “I didn't know things were so unstable right now, I was kind of hoping that with Kuvira out of the picture, you guys would be able to handle the rest.” She explained.

“We’re managing, I suppose, but recovery will take time.” The President replied. “In the meantime, however, a proper welcome back celebration and a quick round of Q&A is sure to boost morale.”

Checking that Asami was okay with the idea too, Korra nodded in agreement, sealing the deal. President Raiko smiled and turned around, leading the two girls and the polar bear dog the rest of the way to the stage. Korra took this as a chance to talk to Mako and Bolin before everything started, her and Asami still atop Naga’s back.

“What are you two doing here? Did Raiko drag you into this, too?” Korra asked. The look on Mako’s face said it all. “Ugh. I’m sorry you have to be part of this.”

“Me too.” Mako sighed.

“It’s good to see you two again, though!” Bolin happily chimed, eliciting a smile from both Korra and Asami.

“It’s good to see you again, too, Bolin,” Asami replied. “And you too, Mako.”

“How is your arm doing?” Korra asked. Mako grew a bit distant.

“You might not wanna ask about that, he’s been a little broody lately,” Bolin replied.

Korra frowned. Before she could ask for details on why, the President had begun speaking.

“Ladies and gentlemen of Republic City, I’m pleased to announce that the head of Future Industries, Ms. Asami Sato, and our Avatar, Korra, have officially returned!”

The cheering grew louder at the sound of Raiko’s words, the two ladies on the polar bear dog awkwardly smiling and waving hello. They were situated to the President and his security’s left while he spoke.

“It’s been a long two weeks since the two of them left for their own, personal reasons, but now they are back to help guide our fair city to even greater heights! Today is a day of celebration!” Raiko announced. “But you’re not here to listen to me ramble on. Without any further ado,”

Raiko stepped  away so that the ladies could speak. Korra and Asami finally got down from Naga’s back. Korra was the first to hop down, scratching Naga behind the ear as she did, and then Asami. Korra gently took hold of her hand as her fiancee climbed down, and the two of them approached the podium together. Naga instinctively went to wait behind the stage for them.

After a brief deliberation, it was decided between them that Korra would speak  first. She (reluctantly) shook the President’s hand and approached the podium with some hesitation, surrounded by Asami and Raiko.

“Heh, hello, everybody. And here I was hoping for a more discreet return. I can’t really say I was expecting to be holding a press conference today, but I’m glad to be back in Republic City.” Korra awkwardly introduced into the mic, readjusting to talking to such a large crowd. “Alright then, let’s get this show on the road!” She announced, her trademark lopsided grin adorning her face.

Unsurprisingly, the press were quick to oblige, firing of a steady stream of questions in her direction.

“Avatar Korra! Is it true that you’ve spent the last two weeks in the Spirit World?”

“Will you be taking part in Kuvira's trial?”

“Do you have any plans to help out with the reconstruction of Republic City?”

“Are you going to be doing anything about the recent rise in triad activity?”

“Why did you leave with Future Industries' Ms. Sato alone? Are the rumors true that you two have become more than ‘just friends’?”

Well that last one was sure to the point. President Raiko raised an eyebrow at the insinuation, sparing a glance in the two’s direction. Korra just tried to pretend she didn’t hear it. She could get to that when she got to that. Right now, the other four questions seemed much more important. Though more kept flooding in, most of them were variations on those five and the rest weren’t even worth acknowledging. She’d already made up her mind what she was willing to answer or not beforehand.

“Well, to begin, yes, I _will_ be taking part in Kuvira’s trial. I’ve been giving it some thought lately, and there are a few things I’d like to say and propose that I’ll be announcing at a later date. And yes, I also plan to help out with the city as much as possible. If this means taking care of some triads along the way, then so be it.” Korra opened, addressing what she deemed to be the most important questions first and foremost.

“As for where I’ve been these last couple weeks – yes, I _have_ been vacationing in the Spirit World. After everything that’s happened to me these last three years, I felt like I needed a break, and Asami was feeling the same way. So the two of us decided to just go for it and left some trustworthy people in charge while we were gone. But I think I’ll let Asami explain that part for herself.”

Not wanting to go into things much more in fear of completely derailing the event with the confirmation or denial of completely true rumors of romance, Korra stepped away from the microphone. The moment either one of them addressed their relationship, the press wouldn’t want to talk about anything else. Ignoring any follow up questions that may have been addressed to her, Korra allowed Asami to take over, taking her former position to her fiancee’s right.

Before Asami could say anything, the reporters were already asking questions.

“Ms. Sato! Will Ravi be maintaining control of Future Industries for the remainder of the city expansion and reconstruction plan?”

“Is it true that Varrick Global Industries and Future Industries are in talks to merge again?”

“Will you be overseeing the creation of a new city park, or will you be restoring Avatar Korra Park, now located near the new Spirit Portal?”

“Do you have any plans to move forward with Spirit Energy technology?”

“Why did you leave Republic City when it was most in need of your company's help?”

That last question made Korra wince. She was afraid that somebody was going to ask her something like that. But the smile on Asami’s face never wavered, not even for an instant.

“What’s important is that Future Industries never left Republic City and continued to help it grow and rebuild, regardless of whether or not I was here to personally oversee that.” Asami began, addressing the harshest question right off the bat. “While I went and took a well-deserved vacation with my friend, I was sure to put my best man in charge in my stead, ensuring that our philosophy of harmoniously bending nature with technology was applied to everything we did.”

“But no. Ravi will not be maintaining control of Future Industries. I fully expect to be back in the driver’s seat by the end of the week – much to his relief, I’m sure.” She laughed. He always did prefer the role of a worker to a leader, even if he was great at both.

“With all that being said though, no, there is _not_ going to be any merger with Varrick Global Industries. Nor will we be looking into Spirit Energy technology any further anytime soon. After Kuvira’s misappropriation of the technology showed us all the potential dangers of its misuse, I think it may be a better idea to leave the power of the spirits to the spirits. However, I would be delighted to help design a new city park _and_ to see Avatar Korra Park returned to its former glory. I’m sure it’ll make a wonderful place to observe the Spirit Portal in the future.” Asami concluded.

And that took care of that. Or, it would have, if it weren’t for one particularly observant reporter near the front launching the question that brought the event to a screeching halt just as soon as Asami had finished.

“Ms. Sato, is that a Water Tribe betrothal necklace around your neck?”

Well. Crap.

“Uh...” The previously professional and composed Asami simply stood there, blindsided by the completely correct insinuation of the question being directed at her. She had completely forgotten to take it off before leaving the ship. The President gave Asami and the Avatar a look while Korra just stood there, completely petrified. Bolin’s jaw had dropped to the floor and Mako looked like he was about to have a stroke, completely unsure how to process that information.

After two weeks alone together, Asami had expected one or two questions about the nature of hers and Korra’s relationship, but that was a bit more direct than she’d anticipated. But she only had herself to blame, and she knew it. This was a pretty damning piece of evidence.

“...Um...” Asami was struggling and everyone could tell. She had no clue how to answer that. It looked like it was time for Korra to step in and save the day.

“No comment. ANYWAY, we actually have some _really_ important stuff we need to tend to right now, so yeah, it was nice seeing everybody out here but we’ve _really_ gotta go,” Korra hurriedly excused, leaning in to the microphone. Grabbing hold of Asami’s hand, she immediately ran off the stage and toward Naga. “Asami, let’s go!!”

Realizing the two of them were about to make a run for it, Mako shook off the shock of the situation and reached out to stop them, but it was too late. “Korra, wait!” He yelled in vain. She’d already pulled Asami off the stage with her and jumped onto Naga’s back.

“Sorry Mako, we can talk later; gotta go, bye!!!” Korra promised, delivering a light kick to Naga’s side to let her know it was time to _run_ . This probably didn’t look much better than directly answering the question would’ve, but she also knew that if they didn’t leave now, the press would _never_ let them go. Not with a story like that to sink their teeth into. Besides, they really _did_ have things they needed to be doing right now.

Dashing through the streets in a slobbering white blur, Korra and Asami disappeared into the distance, the crowd they left behind erupting into an uproar over the implications. President Raiko kind of just stood there in shock, momentarily reaching out in the girls’ direction before he stopped to think about just what’d just happened. How do you even recover from something like that…?

Bolin put a hand on Mako’s shoulder. “There, there, Mako. So your exes are engaged now, I’m sure it’s nothing against you personally! I think we should be happy for them!” He suggested, completely misreading the situation. Mako didn’t even dignify that statement with a proper response.

“The chief is going to kill us for this. You know that, right?” Mako asked.

Meanwhile, galloping through the city full speed ahead, all that Korra and Asami could do was laugh at the absurdity of the situation. The sight of a giant white polar bear dog weaving around and jumping over cars confused many an onlooker as they ran as far as possible from the Republic City harbor, laughing up a storm all the while. It was bad enough that they were completely blindsided like that, but the way that Korra had responded to it was just _priceless_.

“Well that certainly could’ve gone better.” Korra struggled to get out between laughs, almost doubled over on Naga’s back. Asami was once again hanging onto her waist for support whilst caught in a similar position.

“You think?” Asami replied, tears forming in her eyes as she laughed so hard it actually started to hurt. “I guess that answers that then, huh?”

“Yeah, they’re gonna to have a field day with this one.” Korra continued, wiping dry her eyes as her laughter began to subside. “Ah well, at least we don't have to go out and awkwardly confirm it ourselves now.” She joked.

“Tell me about it. I was actually wondering how we were going to put this out there, or if we were just gonna let them figure it out for themselves. But this. This was better than anything I could've imagined. I freaking _love_ you.” While Korra may have been able to control her laughing, Asami was still going strong. This whole thing was simply hilarious to her.

After another good minute or so of laughter, she finally began calming down, at least for the most part. Letting out a contented sigh, she limply let her body lay into Korra's as she continued to hang onto her, smiling. By far, that was the best press conference she’d ever had the honor of taking part in.

“So, considering Naga and I are your drivers right now…” Korra began, a knowing grin on her face. “Where to next, Ms. Sato?”

“I guess now we go take care of what we said we were going to take care of,” Asami replied, wiping the last of the tears from her eyes. “Just drop me off at Future Industries Tower, I can take it from there. Meanwhile, you can go see Tenzin and collect your things from Air Temple Island. Might as well tell him about us as well since he’s just going to find out one way or another now.” She chuckled.

Korra just shook her head. She couldn’t believe she’d actually just done that. Tomorrow's paper was certainly going to be an interesting one.

“Of course, Ms. Sato, as you wish.” She facetiously replied, playing the role of chauffeur. Directing Naga where to go, she continued her charge through the city unimpeded, heading directly for Future Industries Tower.

  


*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

 

Meanwhile, several dozen kilometers off of the coast of the United Republic…

A familiar wooden prison surrounding a particularly powerful prisoner bustled with an unusual amount of activity. The guards who were currently stationed there appeared to be listening to the radio, responding rather loudly to the press conference that was currently being broadcast.

“ _I told you_ ,” One of the voices cheered. “I knew there was something else going on with those two.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say.” Another replied, obviously less-enthused.

“I’m just glad that the Avatar’s back, maybe she can do something about those freaky-ass murders back home.” A third guard supposed.

All the while, the prisoner at the center of the platform, cordoned off by a wooden cage, listened with a blank look in her eyes. According to the news, it’d already been two weeks since Korra left. That meant it’d been three since her defeat, then. But somehow, to her, it felt like she’d been here much, much longer than that.

Her name was Kuvira, and she was a shell of her former self.

While her trial dragged on and on for week after week, she personally found the whole thing to be rather unnecessary. It was more of a chore than anything else. In her mind, she already knew what the verdict would be.

She was a very special kind of ‘villain,’ the kind of which examples were made. She had a whole nation – or former nation, as it were – calling for her head, and she knew that if that coward Raiko and the other world leaders got their way, they were going to let them have it. After everything she’d done, to her, it was the only logical conclusion.

She’d assumed her life was forfeit the moment she surrendered, but in that moment, she also knew she’d been in the wrong. She knew what she’d done, and for that reason, she felt no injustice in what she believed to be her impending doom. While she was sure that at least Tenzin would try and spare her her life, Kuvira wasn’t sure she even wanted to live it. Not anymore. If this cage was all she had left, she’d be perfectly fine with the alternative.

While Kuvira sulked, the two guards stationed in front of her cage continued talking about the news. At least they were less annoying than the three by the radio. They were usually more informative, too. Kuvira felt like she’d never know what was going on out there anymore if it weren’t for these two.

“So the Avatar and Asami Sato are a thing now. That’s neat, I guess.” The first of them shrugged. “Apparently the two of them were in the Spirit World together.”

“So that’s where they’d run off to? Good for them. After everything that happened, I’m sure they needed a little break. Our guest here really put them through the wringer, huh?” The second inquired.

“Yeah. I think I heard something about her wanting to weigh in on her trial? Bit of a waste of time if you ask me, though. I think this one’s about as good as dead at this point. We won’t have to be standing out here for very much longer.” The first one concluded with a laugh.

The second seemed a little shocked at his companion’s demeanor. “Don’t you think that’s a little harsh? They didn’t even give Zaheer the death sentence, and he killed the Earth Queen.”

The first shook his head. “That was different. Zaheer was an anarchic terrorist, and the entire Air Nation was speaking out against the death penalty at the time. I hear not even the Avatar wanted to kill him. After that, what could they do? But this is different, this is political.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean reelection is coming up and Raiko knows he’s going to lose. He looked weak in front of the whole of the United Republic and almost surrendered the country to Kuvira. He’s going to use the death penalty councilman Tarrlok snuck in a few years back to try and seem like a tougher, more dependable leader.”

“Do you really think so?”

The first guard shrugged. “Who knows for sure. That’s just what I read in the paper. But it makes a lot of sense to me, and honestly? I won’t be shedding any tears if it happens.”

By this point, Kuvira had stopped listening.  For the first time in a while, she felt a spark of something deep inside of her, something she’d almost forgotten about. If what that guard had said was true, than Korra was due to take part in her trial.

For the first time in weeks, Kuvira smiled.

Things had just gotten a _lot_ more interesting.


	4. Welcome Back to Republic City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Asami settles back in to life as the CEO of Future Industries, Korra prepares to move off of Air Temple Island and into the Sato Estate! Meanwhile, Mako and Bolin's ongoing investigation into the Mummy Maker case is interrupted by a surprise visit from Varrick!

**Book Five  
Chi**

**Chapter Four  
Welcome Back to Republic City**

 

Entering her newly refurbished building with a smile, Asami made her way through the lobby of Future Industries Tower. It’d changed a lot in the short time she’d been gone. It seemed Ravi had used the recent renovations as an excuse to put some of those ‘beautification’ suggestions of his into place while she couldn’t say no. She was kind of glad she couldn’t have though, seeing how it all looked in-person; he’d really given it his all.

Metal sculptures courtesy of Huan Beifong now decorated the lobby and the halls, alongside an abundance of potted trees and hanging plants interspersed in-between. Combined with the spirit vine-shaped columns and the lush, green ivy clutched to the sides of the 2nd floor balcony, it all made the place seem a lot more alive than it had in the past.

Granite, marble, and sandstone were the materials of choice for the lobby and halls, and green-blue crystals were the primary means of illumination. While a skylight was impossible, the windows had been expanded to let more light into the lobby. Along with the plant life, the additional natural light gave the building a more organic look and feel. It was something Asami had always talked about, but never got around to actually doing. She was thankful to Ravi for remembering that.

A new fountain had been installed outside, and inside, four small waterfalls trickled enchantingly in the lobby. They emptied into small pools filled with a variety of fish, while the waterfalls themselves obscured murals somewhat abstractly depicting what looked to be both spirits and machines. Even the air smelled more crisp, and fresh, as though she were standing outside. It looked less like another office building and more like a work of art, honestly.

“Wow. Maybe I should let Ravi design more of the city after all.” Asami marveled. Knowing Ravi, the rest of the building had been updated to match this new aesthetic. She couldn’t wait to find out for sure.

Making her way to the elevator, she stepped through the large brass doors. Setting off for the top floor, she was surprised at the speed with which she got there. Had he added an express elevator, too? By now she had to wonder how much all of this had costed her company. She was looking forward to seeing the top floor, but once the doors opened, she was a little disappointed. Save for the addition of some new plants, the floor appeared to have been just the way Asami left it. She was sure if he had more time, Ravi would’ve had his way up here, too, though.

This floor was pretty much entirely hers. There was a private workshop for some of her smaller projects and her office, but those were the only two things of note. There was, however, a small reception area between the hall and her office where her secretary, Li Wei, waited for her with a smile on his face.

“Welcome back Ms. Sato,” He greeted. Asami smiled. “Ravi’s been expecting you. He’s waiting for you in your office.”

“Thank you, Li Wei. How've you been?”  
  
"Just fine, Ms. Sato."

Entering her office without so much as a knock, she found Ravi putting together the last of his things in a box when her sudden arrival caught his attention. “Asami!” He greeted, stopping what he was doing and walking over to give Asami a hug. “It’s good to have you back. This place hasn’t been the same without you.”

"Ravi!" She greeted back with a smile, returning the hug. "It's good to be back."

“I’ve been trying to keep everything on track, just like you asked. I hope you liked the renovations.” Ravi continued, walking now to a small counter against the wall to pour the two of them some fresh tea. Asami sat down at a small table by a couch and waited.

“I love it! I’m assuming you designed it all yourself?” Asami asked. As she’d expected of him, Ravi nodded. It was one of his more understated talents. She really should put them to good use more often. “I saw a few of the new buildings on my way down here. Makes sense the business district would be one of the first to be expanded. You sure seem to have been keeping busy.” She took a sip of tea.

“As have you, from the looks of things. I like your new necklace.” Ravi noted, taking a sip of his tea with a knowing grin that almost caused Asami to choke on hers. That was the second time today, she really should’ve put it away. “I had a feeling there was a bit more to your trip than some simple R&R. I’m happy for you.”

“T-Thank you,” Asami blushed. “Nice as they’ve been, these last two weeks have been pretty busy for me too. Just, not in a stressful way. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to come back.”

Ravi laughed. “Sorry, but this was never meant to be permanent. To be honest, I can’t wait to get back to work in the factories. I haven’t used my hands for anything but signing papers for too long.”

“Right… sorry about sticking you behind a desk so suddenly like that. You’re a fantastic manager, but I know this sort of work isn’t your cup of tea.”

“Yes, you know I would rather work on the assembly lines.”

Asami nodded. “Well, luckily for you I’m ready to jump back behind the wheel whenever. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

“Not as much as you may think. Varrick Global Industries has been helping out quite a bit, so the city wasn’t entirely dependent on Future Industries this time around. It means a little less profit, yes, but also a little less workload. I left some notes on your desk for you that lay everything out in detail.”

“Thank you, again.”

“Of course. Just, please don’t ask me to do this again.” Ravi half-joked, the two of them sharing a laugh.

“So, anything interesting happen while I was gone? That aren’t business-related, that is.” Asami clarified.

“Well, I finally learned to Metalbend.” Ravi announced. Asami’s face lit up immediately.

“Really?!” She asked. The large man nodded.

“I figured while we have so many temporary Metalbenders on loan from Zaofu, now would be the perfect time to learn. Once it clicked, the rest of it came to me pretty easily.” Ravi described.

“I’m so happy for you, I know you’ve been wanting to Metalbend for years now.” It came as no surprise given how he was. It should make his job in the factories that much more interesting.

“Thank you.” Ravi smiled. “Aside from that, the only other thing of note would be that Varrick stopped by today.”

Asami groaned. “Raviiii, I said no work, please,”

“Oh, no, no, this was a social visit.” He corrected with a laugh. “He wanted to invite me to a mover premiere tomorrow night and asked me to extend an invitation to you and Korra, as well.”

Asami’s face lit up. “Oh, that sounds great! I’m sure Korra would love to come, too. I’ve been wanting to take her to see one for years now.” She reminisced.

She wouldn’t say she was as big a fan as Bolin, but she’d kept an eye on the mover industry from the very beginning. When Korra was away and she was swamped with work renovating the city the first time around, attending movers had become a favorite activity of hers. It was a great way to let the stress melt away and lose herself in something of another life for a little while. It’d helped her through some pretty dark days. She swore, if Korra wasn’t a fan of them already, she was going to make her one.

“I look forward to seeing you there.” Ravi smiled, finishing his tea and then rising up from his seat. “If you need me, I’ll be with the rest of the Metalbenders helping to finish renovations outside. I’ve been pretty eager to see how my new abilities measure up in practice.” He said, grabbing the box of his things and heading for the door.

“Good luck!” Asami wished. Ravi nodded, smiling, and then exited the room.

Alone again in her office, Asami sighed. Not with frustration or relief, but contentment. It was good to be home. Finishing her tea, she got up and walked to the large window behind her desk, looking down at the city below. She’d missed this place a lot more than she’d thought. After soaking in the sight for a moment, she turned around to face her desk.

She briefly looked over the papers Ravi had left for her. Much of it was what she’d expected, but she was finding it hard to focus, her eyes being drawn to a photograph in a frame that Ravi had left on her desk. Putting down the papers, she smiled and picked up the photograph instead. She thought she’d lost that years ago.

It featured a very young Asami – easily no more than 8 or 9 years old at the time – who was happily climbing over the seat of a fresh-off-the-line Satomobile. Next to her, a teenage boy of about 16 or 17 was smiling and leaning over the seat beside hers. It was Ravi. Outside of the car, her father was standing with a solemn smile on his face, his hand resting on its hood. It was a scene that took her back.

“I guess he never did realize you were a bender, huh...” She thought aloud. If he had, she doubted Hiroshi would’ve hired Ravi off the streets as quickly as he did. She was glad he didn’t know. She’d practically grown up in her father’s factories, and some of her fondest childhood memories were of exploring them. She loved to watch Satomobiles get put together piece by piece. Almost as much as she loved getting herself into trouble Ravi would have to help her get out of.

Looking back on the last couple weeks, she supposed not much had really changed on that front.

Putting down the photograph, Asami took a brief look up at the clock and then got to work. She had a couple hours to kill before she and Korra met up at Tenzin’s. It was time to start catching up.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

 

Air Temple Island. Even though it’d only been a couple of weeks, it felt as though it’d been a lifetime since Korra was last here. Exiting the ferry with Naga close behind, she had nary a moment to relax before she was accosted by a group of excited Airbenders. Korra smiled, recognizing the three immediately.

“KORRA’S BACK!” Ikki cried, rushing down from the hill she’d been impatiently waiting on.

Naga’s tail began to wag, the pup looking up and starting to shuffle about excitedly. It seemed Korra wasn’t the only one who was happy to be back. Ikki was quickly joined by Jinora and Meelo, the two forming up behind her as they all glided down to meet Korra. They showed no signs of stopping the closer they got, and she was ultimately tackled in an overeager group hug. Thankfully, Naga had her back though, catching her so she wouldn’t fall and curling around the four to expand the hug even further.

“So how was the Spirit World? Did you and Asami get lost? Is that why you were gone for two weeks three days four hours and seventeen minutes? Did you get to see Iroh again? Did you turn into a kid again? How was the fruit there? Does the Spirit World even have fruit? Why do I smell cinnamon?” Ikki asked in her typical rapid fire approach. Korra laughed. Some things never changed.

“I expected status reports, soldier!” Meelo huffed, only half-joking at best by Korra’s estimation. This was probably the closest she’d be getting to a ‘welcome back’ from him.

“Welcome back, Korra. We really missed you.” Jinora greeted simply, the welcome bit of calm in the storm of the air siblings.

“Thank you, Jinora. I really missed you guys too.” Korra began to reply, starting with the simplest of them to address. Jinora smiled in response. Now for Meelo.

“And I’m sorry, Commander. I was caught up in reconnaissance and never got the chance to report back. Besides, it’s kind of hard to keep in touch from behind enemy lines.” Korra reported. Meelo thought for a moment, but then gave Korra a nod. That answer would suffice.

“And as for your questions, Ikki… amazing, a few times, not really, yes, once or twice, good, lots of it, and reasons.” While ‘reasons’ wasn’t exactly an answer as far as Ikki was concerned, she was willing to let it slide, if only because her father had arrived before she could push any further.

“Welcome back, Korra.” Tenzin stated simply. A smile was on his face as he walked down the pier to meet her. Korra’s smile widened at the sight of him.

“Tenzin!” Korra called, running up and catching the old master by surprise with a hug, just as the kids had surprised her a moment earlier. “It’s so good to see you again, I have so much I want to tell you about the spirit world.”

“It’s good to see you again too, Korra. There’s a lot I want to hear. But first of all, how was your vacation?” Tenzin asked, returning her hug.

“Oh man, it was great! I had a lot of fun and it was really relaxing; it was exactly what we needed. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had this little stress.” Korra gushed. Tenzin smiled. That was good to hear. The looks on their faces made it obvious that Ikki and Jinora wanted to know more, but Meelo seemed less than enthusiastic at the prospect.

“Oh please, what’s so fun about the spirit world? There’s no action! What did you even do for two weeks, meditate?” Meelo scoffed.

Korra laughed. It was a valid question for somebody like him, not that she couldn’t relate. She loved to be where the action was, too. She’d just had more than enough of it for a little while was all.

“Oh, you know. I explored the spirit world, befriended some spirits, ran for my life from some other spirits, lost to Iroh at Pai Sho, made out with Asami, got betrothed – typical vacation stuff.” Korra shrugged.

Jinora immediately put her hands to her mouth and looked like she was about ready to scream. The look in her eye was one of happiness and excitement, whereas Tenzin and Meelo looked on with shock. Ikki, however, was the most excited of all.

“I KNEW IT!” Ikki exclaimed, leaping a few feet into the air in celebration. “I TOLD you guys there was something going on between them!” She grinned, pointing at Meelo and her father. Jinora was the only one who ever seemed to believe her.

Speaking of Jinora, she was also the first of the four to actually congratulate Korra. “Korraaaa!!! You two are so perfect for each other, you have to tell me more about your vacation now!” She squeed, pulling her into another tight hug.. Korra laughed. There’d be plenty of time for that later.

“Wow. That’s… wow. I’m really happy for you. Congratulations, Korra.” Tenzin replied. What else could he even say? Her and Asami was one thing, but betrothed?

“Yeeeaaahhh… that was kind of a thing that happened,” Korra awkwardly replied, rubbing the back of her neck. The smile on her face was more nervous than anything now. “Can’t be afraid to mix it up sometimes, right?” She quoted.

“A sentiment Avatar Kiyoshi would’ve agreed with, I’m sure.” Tenzin smiled. Korra chuckled. She knew the stories. “But I have to ask, betrothal? So soon? Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for you two, but that’s a pretty big step to take so early on.” He said, hoping he wouldn’t offend her. But Korra understood, nodding.

“My parents reacted the same way, but don’t worry. It’s not like we’re running off and getting married tomorrow or anything like that. We’re gonna hold off for a little while, see how things go, but it feels like we’ve been together a whole lot longer than we have. I really think she’s the one. But things are gonna be pretty hectic for us these next couple years, so the whole betrothal thing is kind of like a promise to each other more than anything. For when we’re ready, you know?”

Tenzin still seemed a little unsure, but at least she wasn’t doing anything reckless. He supposed that was enough for now. “Very well. I just wanted to make sure you thought this through, and it seems you have. I wish you two the best of luck.” He replied. Korra gave him another hug.

“Where _is_ Asami? I thought you two were coming back together,” Tenzin asked, looking over Korra’s shoulder to see if maybe he’d missed her behind Naga.

“Oh, well, we did, but I dropped her off at Future Industries. She’s going to be here in an hour and a half or so, say hello and catch up a bit before we go looking for Mako and Bolin.” Korra explained. “I saw a lot of the city on my way over here today. It’s a little worse for wear, but I’m surprised how much better it looks already. Republic City sure works quick.”

“That’s because we’ve been helping out a lot, too!” Ikki proclaimed, a proud smile on her face. “The Air Nation’s been working with Zaofu to help out with construction, especially in the really bad neighborhoods. A lot of people from surrounding cities have joined in, too!” She explained. Korra nodded. So there was basically an army of benders helping out. It made sense why things were moving so quickly, then.

“Indeed. We’ve had our fair share of problems too, however. I just found out the Triads have been interfering with our relief efforts in the poorer neighborhoods, where their hold is the strongest. We’ve been doing our best to work around them, but it’s getting harder every day. I’m afraid at this point it’s only a matter of time before we’re forced into a direct confrontation with them.” Tenzin sighed.

“Wow… President Raiko told me things have been pretty bad with them lately, but I had no idea they were that bad. Do you think maybe I should step in? See if I can’t help out in some way?” Korra asked.

“You spoke with President Raiko?” Tenzin asked, a little surprised.

“Yeah, he had this whole impromptu press conference set up for us at the pier and everything. I probably should’ve expected it, in retrospect. He tried to make it into this big event, but that didn’t… exactly… work out,” Korra laughed nervously.

Tenzin shook his head. “I don’t know why I’m surprised, that man is a politician through-and-through. But yes, your help would be much appreciated, Korra. We’ve done alright so far, but Republic City needs its Avatar back.”

“There you guys are. I was just about to start working on dinner and wanted some help in the kitchen. Bumi said something about expecting guests?” Came the voice, Pema descending the stairs to the pier to round up her family. “…Korra? Is that you?” She asked, just now noticing the large polar bear dog wagging its tail behind her kids and the young Avatar beside her husband. “Welcome back, dear. Looks like Bumi was right.” She shrugged, the least surprised or excited person to see Korra back today.

To be honest, Korra was a little disappointed. She was starting to really enjoy watching people’s reactions.

“Bumi said what now?” Tenzin asked. He really hoped he wasn’t inviting his old war buddies over again.

“Well, more specifically, he said Bum-Ju said to expect company, but I honestly can’t tell if he can understand that spirit or if he just makes things up all the time.” Pema corrected.

“I guess word’s gotten around with the spirits, too.” Korra grinned. “I’d be happy to help you out in the kitchen if you want?” She offered. Hoping they could get some spirit world stories out of her in the process, Ikki and Jinora also leapt at the opportunity.

“Just please don’t let Bumi help out again,” Tenzin begged. “I’d like to have vegetables that aren’t inexplicably charred, this time. I swear, that man could set a soup on fire. He may be an Airbender, but he could’ve been a world-class Firebender.”

Pema laughed. “Whatever you say, dear.” Motioning for her group of helpers to come along, she started the trek back to the temple, Tenzin, Meelo and Naga all following close behind. “It’s good to have you back, Korra. This place hasn’t been the same without you.” She mentioned off-hand as they reached the top of the hill.

“…Oh. Uh. Actually, I’m… not staying.” Korra replied, the group coming to a momentary stop.

“What do you mean?” Jinora asked, clearly disappointed. Ikki and Meelo seemed similarly dejected at the notion.

“I actually just came to gather my things and see how everyone’s been doing. I’m going to be moving in with Asami tonight.” Korra explained.

“…Asami?” Pema asked.

“Right, we’re, uh, kind of a couple now.” She explained briefly. No need to keep dragging it out every time, she may as well just say it.

“They’re betrothed.” Tenzin added on.

“Really? Huh. Well, it’s about time. That girl’s been pining for you for years.” Pema smiled. Korra and Tenzin shared a look. Apparently this was old news to her. “Oh, don’t look so surprised – the acolytes talk, you know, and Ikki raised quite the convincing argument.” She remarked, looking in her youngest daughter’s direction as she spoke.

“I’ve also seen how Asami looks at you. She practically built this city in your image while you were recovering in the south pole. I was beginning to wonder if she was ever going to say anything to you. Glad to see everything worked itself out.”

Korra was a little embarrassed. “I hadn’t really noticed that before, but, now that you mention it...” Well she certainly felt a little dumb now. “Apparently we fell for each other around the same time, after Zaheer. Though when I really think about it, I think maybe I was hitting on her a little before then, too. I just feel bad about making her wait so long.”

“Oh, don’t worry so much about it. What’s important is that you two are together now, not how long it took for it to happen. I’m sure she couldn’t be happier either way.” Pema reassured.

“Yeah!” Ikki agreed. “When you’re meant to be together, it doesn’t matter how long it takes. All that matters is that you true love always wins out in the end.”

Korra smiled. “You guys are right. Thanks.”

“Still, I’m going to be sad to see you go.” Jinora frowned. “We really missed you. It felt like we just got you back.”

“I’m sorry you guys. But I’ll still come over to visit as often as I can, I promise.” Korra assured. It was something, they supposed. “Now let’s stop standing around and go get started on dinner!” She announced, ushering the group onward.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

 

Later that afternoon, back at the precinct, a very defeated Mako and Bolin emerged from the Chief’s office, their heads hung low. To say that she was upset would be an understatement. After letting them have it for what felt like an eternity, Chief Beifong released them back into the precinct and relegated them to desk duty. They had been told under no uncertain terms to have Korra on board with their case by the morning ‘or else’, and neither of them wanted to find out what that referred to.

Sitting down quietly at their desk, the brothers retreated back to the safety of their case. They had a lot to catch up on. Earlier that day, a new body was discovered along the edges of Dragon Flats. Unlike before, there were no witnesses to the event, meaning they had even less information to go on, but that wasn’t to say that they didn’t have any.

After finding the body, Dr. Lou was called in to immediately perform an autopsy. Just like Kazuo, the victim had been left with a discoloration in the shape of a hand around their face and all of their bodily fluids drained. Also like Kazuo, they were left completely without chi, as well. Unfortunately however, even after completing his re-hydration procedure, the face of the victim wasn’t one that anybody immediately recognized this time around.

On a hunch, Mako and Bolin elected to search through every file they had on known triad members and affiliates, but to no avail. Whoever or whatever was doing this then, they probably weren’t doing it to upset the gangs. While this ruled out the possibility of some sort of vigilante (human or otherwise), it didn’t do much to get them any closer to solving the case.

Left without a pattern, a witnesses, or even any confirmation as to whether or not their victim was a bender, there was little the brothers could do to narrow down the search. In the end, they just commissioned the police sketch artist and ordered fliers to be distributed around the neighborhood. With any luck, somebody would come forward and identify the body. But until then, the two of them felt as though they’d hit a wall. It was almost as if the more this case evolved, the less solvable it became.

“This week just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it?” Mako said with a sigh. He wasn’t expecting much of an answer.

His brother was slumped over in his chair across from him, bored, staring at a clock on the opposite wall. He didn’t think it was possible to feel this tired from looking through some files. “Well, at least Korra and Asami are back, right? That’s nice,”

“Yeah, I guess.” The look on Mako’s face was telling. He had mixed feelings about that topic, but it wasn’t something he really wanted to talk about right now.

But with a lack of anything else to do for the moment, Bolin pressed on regardless. “Oh come on, Mako, why’ve you gotta be like that? They’re our friends, right? I don’t know why you’re not happy about this.” And if he were being honest, his brother’s continued deflections were starting to make him a little upset.

“It’s complicated,” Mako insisted. “And it’s not because my exes are dating each other.”

“Not just because of that, or not because of that at all?”

“To be honest, Bo, it’s none of your business.” Mako snapped.

Bolin frowned. “Geez, fine. Brood all you want, then.”

“I am not brooding.”

“Mm, you kind of are, but whatever. Lin was pretty clear we’ve gotta track Korra down tonight anyway, so if you wanna save all this up for some big emotional moment with her, fine, but I’m here for you too, bro.” Bolin reminded.

Mako looked down. Maybe he had a point.

“Honestly, if I were Lin, I’d probably give her a day or two to settle back in before throwing her into another city-saving scenario, but–”

“No, Lin’s right. This thing has killed 2 people in 3 days and we have no idea when it’s going to strike again. If Korra isn’t ready to get back into things, then she shouldn’t be coming back at all.” Mako interrupted. He seemed to be interrupting his brother a lot these days. It was something else that was starting to leave Bolin a little upset.

Still, while he found his last words to be fairly harsh, Bolin supposed Mako had a point. It didn’t mean he couldn’t feel bad about it, though. Especially after hearing that they were apparently engaged, now? Now that really came out of left field. Or, it would have if he hadn’t been reading all of those gossip columns, anyway; people had been speculating about them for weeks now. As much as Bolin may have wanted to talk about it with Mako, though, he was beginning to think it wasn’t such a good idea.

Thankfully, before things got any more awkward between the two of them, a saving grace entered the room.

“Aha! Bolin! There you are!” Varrick shouted.

Every detective in the precinct momentarily looked up from their desks as soon as he entered the room, thanking the spirits that he wasn’t their problem. Mako, meanwhile, held his head in his hands. He suddenly wished he could be anywhere but here, right now, in this moment.

“I’d almost given up looking for you! I figured I’d just go invite Lin next and see if I couldn’t get back to you later, but lo and behold, you’re sitting here in the very station I built for her! What’s the matter, bailing your brother out of jail again?” Varrick asked, leaning in and semi-whispering that last part into Bolin’s ear. Mako’s eye twitched.

“I’m right here, you know. In a police uniform. As a detective. Working on a case.” Mako seethed, not that Varrick seemed to be paying him any mind. Why did he even bother?

“Varrick!” Bolin greeted exuberantly, though maybe not quite as exuberantly as Varrick had greeted him. “I actually work here now, can you believe it? My brother and I are partners now, it’s great!”

“No kidding? Good for you! I always knew you were destined for great things, Nuktuk was just the beginning!”

“Aw, thanks V,” Bolin sniffed, wiping a tear from his eye. “Anyway, what’s up? You mentioned something about inviting Lin somewhere?”

“Right! You’ve heard about that Ryuuki Ayosushi-or-whatever guy, right? Well, as it happens, I’ve got some sweet VIP balcony seats for that premiere of his tomorrow night, so I’ve been inviting all of Republic City’s toppest of top brass to come along! Along with a few friends, of course. That’s why I was looking for you, I know how much you love movers. So what do you say, are you in?” Varrick asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Are you kidding me? Of course I'm in! Do you know how long it's been since I've been to a premiere!?”

Mako knew this one! “Since he got me arrested.” He reminded with some frustration, raising his hand to be sure he got their attention.

Bolin’s face sunk a little. Well, that was awkward. He’d kinda forgotten about that.

But Varrick insisted. “Bah, bygones! I'm a changed man, and I've put the past behind me! Personally, I think you could stand to do the same, Mako. In fact, why don't you come along too? I’ve even arranged for Korra and Asami to be there; it can be just like old times!”

And just what kind of ‘old times’ was Varrick referring to? While Mako remained suspicious, Bolin just grew more excited.

“Ah, that's a great idea! Come on Mako, what do you say? It’ll be great!”

“What? No, I hate movers, you know that. Why are you inviting me?” Varrick and Bolin both gasped. Did he seriously just say that!?

“Mako, language! You know we don’t use that word with movers here!! This is an H-word-free zone!!!” Bolin proclaimed.

Mako sighed. Why did everything in his life have to constantly conspire to make him miserable?

“What’s with all this racket out here!?” Lin yelled, the door to her office nearly swinging off of its hinges as she stepped angrily into the detective’s office. Everybody in the room save for Varrick and Bolin shrunk a little as soon as she started talking. Looking around the room, she came to find that Varrick had invited himself in. Again. Because of course he did. And since when did he of all people willingly walk into police stations, anyway? Last she heard, he claimed they gave him a rash.

“Ah, Lin, there you are! Perfect! I was just about to come in and invite you, too! I’ve got some great seats for the premiere of ‘The Dancing Dragons’ tomorrow, and all of Republic City’s big shots are gonna be there! You want in? You look like a hard-working woman who could use a break!” Unbeknownst to Varrick, flattery wouldn’t get him anywhere.

“Oh, that thing. I'm already going, though not to just sit on my ass and relax like you are. Somebody's got to handle security, and given how big this thing's going to be, I've been assigned to handle it personally.” Lin waved, completely uninterested in Varrick’s offer and even less interested in attending a mover. But it was what it was.

“Oh, well that was easy!” Varrick exclaimed. “Now all I have to do is hope Korra and Asami get my message and we can get this show on the road! VIP treatment, here we come!” Varrick shouted, left arm raised, his index finger pointing to the heavens.

“Whatever.” Mako huffed. “You guys have fun, I'm going to try and get some work done. I still have a killer to catch, and who knows how long that’s going to take, Korra or no Korra.”

“Not so fast, Mako,” Lin interjected, catching the Firebender by surprise. “Now that I think about it, I could actually use a guy like you out there. You've got good eyes.”

“But, Chief, the case,” Mako insisted.

“You mean the one I asked you to bring the Avatar in on?” Lin asked. Mako shrunk. The whole point in having him bring her in was so she could help them wrap this up quicker, tell them if it was a spirit or not. “All the more reason for you to come with me.” She insisted.

“We still don’t know anything about how this creep chooses their victims, or whether or not they’re even human. A big event like this might just attract them. I’d rest a lot easier having the Avatar and you there with me in case anything goes wrong.” On that note, Lin would now be making sure at least Korra attended that premiere no matter what, now. Mako wasn’t really being left with much of a choice.

“Okay, okay, fine, I’ll go. Geez.” Mako complained. “It’s gonna be at the Pro Bending Arena, right? It’s been a while, but I still know that place like the back of my hand. I’ll make sure we get everything covered.”

Lin gave a nod.

“YES!” Bolin yelled, jumping up from his chair. “Oh man, this is going to be the greatest night ever!” He exclaimed, pulling the three of them – Mako, Lin and Varrick – into a rather uncomfortable group hug.

Mako shoved Varrick off of him and tried desperately to wiggle his way out of it. Sometimes he couldn't help but question his choice of company, especially over these last couple of months. He just hoped tomorrow night wouldn’t be as much of a disaster as he was afraid it’d be.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

 

“...And that’s how I managed to save an entire fleet with nothing more than three penguins, a broken radio, and an old toothbrush!” Bumi exclaimed, finishing yet another long-winded and far-fetched war story, much to the relief of those gathered.

A couple of hours had passed since Korra arrived back on Air Temple Island, and dinner was well underway. After many stories were told and catching up was done, the extended family of Avatar and Airbenders were simply enjoying what time they had left together. Asami was due from work any time now.

“…Right. So, how is your dinner, Korra?” Tenzin asked, hoping to the spirits to avoid another Bumi story.

“Just as good as I remembered. Pema always did make the best rice and dumplings. I’m happy I was able to help out this time, maybe now I can make them for Asami someday.” Korra replied. “It’s nice to be able to eat an actual meal again. Between my mom’s octopus stew and this, I don’t think I’d mind never seeing another spirit fruit in my life.” She complained with a laugh.

“You and me both.”

Korra’s head whipped around the instant she heard that voice, a smile on her face. She knew that voice like the back of her hand. “Asami!” She enthused, jumping up from the table to give her fiancee a hug. “When did you get here?”

“Just now. An acolyte told me you were waiting for me here, so here I am.” Asami smiled, giving Korra a peck on the cheek. She waved hello to the kids across the table and greeted the adults, taking a seat next to Korra at the table. Korra quickly fetched her a plate.

“We made sure to make plenty of extra, so feel free to help yourself. Pema insisted I take some of it with me when I move into your place tonight.”

“So you told them?” Asami asked. Korra nodded. No wonder Jinora and Ikki couldn’t stop giggling as soon as she showed up. Those two probably had all sorts of gossip by now.

“Yeah, though it turned out I didn’t have to. It seems Ikki’s been spreading rumors ever since we left.” Korra laughed, coming back from the kitchen.

“Not just me, all of the newspapers, too!”

“I think you mean tabloids,” Tenzin corrected.

Ikki shrugged. “Same thing. And is it still a rumor if it’s true? I’ve just been telling it like it is all along!”

Asami laughed. “Probably not. But yes, you called it, Ikki.” Though, it wasn’t like they made it very subtle by walking into the sunset like that or anything.

“Korra told us a whole bunch of stories about you two in the spirit world together when she was helping to make dinner. Is it true you got turned into a little girl for a day?” Jinora asked, wanting to doubly confirm the story before writing it down in her journal.

Asami gave Korra a shocked and somewhat embarrassed look, elbowing her lightly. “You told them about that?!”

“What, it was a good story!” Korra claimed.

“Yeah, well, I bet you didn’t tell them about that time you mistook a hornet’s nest for fruit.” Asami rebuffed. This time Korra was the embarrassed one.

“You know what, let’s just not talk about the spirit world right now,” Korra decided. Asami shook her head. That was fine by her, though Ikki and Jinora seemed a little disappointed. Meelo, meanwhile, was completely uninterested. Rather than eating his food, he appeared to be making a self-portrait out of it, and it was taking up all of his attention at the moment.

“So, where’s Kai, Opal, Ryu and all the others? I thought they’d be here on the island with you guys, but I didn’t see any other Airbenders around on my way over here.” Asami wondered. There were plenty of acolytes, but that was it.

“Well, Ryu’s still giving tours of the spirit wilds, but almost everybody else is helping out with construction and relief efforts in the city right now.” Tenzin replied.

“The wilds still exist?” Korra asked.

Tenzin nodded. “They were pretty decimated after Kuvira’s weapon exploded, but they’ve really only expanded into surrounding neighborhoods. The crater around the portal has also started growing back fairly quickly. It shouldn’t be long before the whole place is full of trees and spirit vines again.”

“Geez, poor Ryu. I bet he was hoping for more of a break from tour duty than this.” Korra laughed.

“I bet that’s not the job he had in mind when he became an Airbender.” Asami mentioned, assuming he actually wanted a job in the first place. Which he didn’t, of course.

“Yes, well, everybody has their talents,” Tenzin defended. Truthfully, he just didn’t like dealing with the kid. He tended to like making things a lot more difficult than they needed to be. Korra meanwhile just rolled her eyes at the ‘talents’ remark, well aware of Tenzin’s true intentions in assigning him to tour duty. She honestly couldn’t blame him, though.

“So, I assume you’ll start packing as soon as you two finish eating?” Pema asked, lightly scolding Rohan for playing with his food in a much less constructive way than his older brother.

“I’m not sure who’s the messier eater, Bumi or Rohan.” Tenzin thought aloud.

On hearing his name mentioned, Bumi immediately looked up from his bowl, a mess of rice in his beard and clothes. “Hm?”

Ignoring all of that, Asami nodded to Pema’s question. “That’d probably be for the best. It’s going to take a little bit to settle in, and we’re both still a little tired from the trip.”

“Yeah, I think I might actually turn in early for once.” Korra remarked between bites. She was actually kind of looking forward to it.

“If you’re moving in with Asami, does this mean I can have your room?” Ikki asked, trying to make the best of the situation.

“I think that one’s up to your dad, but why not?” Korra laughed. She figured Ikki was looking to get away from her sister a bit more.

“Well, you brought a lot of spirit to this place, Korra. Guess it’s gonna be up to Bum-Ju, Meelo and I again to liven this place up a bit from now on!” Bumi cut in, eliciting a thumbs up from the distracted Meelo across the table. He still seemed to be hard at work on his latest masterpiece. Tenzin meanwhile could already feel a migraine coming on from the thought of Bumi’s attempts at ‘livening up the place’.

“Y’know, I’m almost sad I won’t be able to see that. Good luck, Tenzin.” Korra teased. Tenzin groaned in response. The Avatar turned her attention to Meelo now, curious why he wasn’t eating. “Do you hate my cooking that much, Meelo? You’ve been surprisingly quiet all dinner and you haven’t eaten any of your food yet.”

“That’s because while all you guys have been telling silly stories and eating, I’ve been working on my latest masterpiece.” Meelo replied, putting the finishing touches on the food in his bowl and then lifting it to show Korra. It was a 100% perfect 3D replica of his face made entirely out of rice. “It’s beautiful because of its impermanence, and also because it’s me. And now I get to eat it!” He grinned, finally allowing himself to dig in. Pema sighed.

“…‘Beautiful because of its impermanence’? I think somebody’s been spending too much time with Huan…” Jinora groaned, rolling her eyes. Korra and Asami shared a laugh. If there were ever somebody who personified pretentiousness, it’d be that guy.

“I guess you guys have a little artist on your hands, huh?” Asami asked. This was the first she’d seen of it, personally.

“That’s nothing, you should’ve seen the portrait he drew of Korra back when we were searching the Earth Kingdom for her.” Ikki said. Asami raised an eyebrow. A portrait of Korra?

“Ladies, please! There is no benefit in basking in the glory of the past, it distracts from the now!” Meelo declared. Jinora dragged her hand down her face, receiving a sympathetic look from her father. It seemed Meelo was her Bumi. Once again, Korra and Asami laughed.

Looking up at the clock on the wall, Korra figured it was about time to wrap things up. They had packing to do and some brothers to track down and catch up with before their day was officially done.

Rising from the table, Korra bowed. “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me. You’ve all been like a second family to me, and I don’t know where I’d be today without you.” She said, primarily addressing Pema, Tenzin and the kids, though she’d elicited some sniffles from Bumi as well.

“It’s been an honor, Avatar Korra.” Tenzin smiled. The kids all got up from the table and gave her one last big hug while they still could. Hugging them back, it was eventually time for her to get going.

“This was an amazing dinner, but Asami and I should probably start packing now. It’s getting a bit late.” Korra sighed. Asami nodded in agreement. “You brought one of your boats here, right, Asami? It may be easier if we just use that to get back.”

“Actually, I took a public ferry. I thought it’d be easier if we just borrowed a sky bison; the estate is pretty far inland, so even if I brought one of my boats, it'd just be more work for Naga.”

“Good point. I hadn’t thought about that.”

“Well if it’s a sky bison you need, I’d be happy to lend you a hand with Oogi for a little while.” Tenzin stepped in, receiving a thankful nod from the two in response.

“That'd be perfect, thank you.” Korra said.

“Of course. I'll go let the acolytes know that you're leaving and have them bring Oogi over to the women's dormitories; they can help you load up his saddle.” Tenzin offered, rising from the table to do just that.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

 

Putting the last of her belongings into a box and handing it to Asami, Korra took one last look around her old room and sighed. There were a lot of memories in this room. She was going to miss this place. In the end, it didn’t take that long to gather up all of her stuff.

The Air Nation was never big on material possessions and, truth be told, neither was Korra for the most part. Most of what she kept was sentimental in some way. But for her, it all held value. All that was left to do now was to fly back to Asami’s place, put her boxes in her room, and then head back out to look for Mako and Bolin.

Korra still felt bad about ditching them at the pier like they did; it looked like they really wanted to talk to her about something. Thankfully, the two brothers showed up and saved her the trouble, their shift at the precinct finally over.

“Korra! Asami!” Bolin called, waving excitedly as he ran across the courtyard to greet his two friends. Mako was walking some distance behind him at a more leisurely place, his hands tucked into his pockets. Bolin slowed down when he reached the bison. “I thought I’d find you here, Korra, but Asami, shouldn't you be at work?”

Asami chuckled. “Hi, Bolin. One of the perks of being CEO is you get to make your own schedule.” Asami explained.

“Ah, Bolin! Mako!” Korra greeted, another smile finding its way to her face. As Mako arrived, she quickly ran up and pulled the two of them into a hug, Bolin accepting it eagerly whereas Mako seemed a little awkward. “I missed you guys so much.”

Mako winced a little, pulling out of the hug and holding onto his arm. Korra immediately apologized, having forgotten he was so badly injured. “I’ll be fine,” He assured simply.

“We thought we’d have to go look for you guys once we finished up here, so this actually saves us a lot of trouble.” Asami mentioned, giving Bolin a hug of her own. She also offered Mako a hug, who accepted it with some trepidation. She was careful not to put any pressure on his arm. “It’s good to see you two again.”

“It’s good to see you again, too! You’re never gonna believe what we’ve been up to lately, it’s actually part of the reason why we’re here. But that can wait! First, a heartwarming reunion for Team Avatar.” Bolin grinned. Mako just kept his hands sunk into his pockets, trying his best to avoid eye contact. He didn’t really want to be here right now and it showed.

“Mako, is everything alright?” Asami asked, noting his unease. Mako flashed an unconvincing smile.

“Yeah, of course! It’s good to have you two back. It hasn’t been the same without you.” He said, trying his best to play it cool. But neither Korra or Asami were buying it. Growing suspicious, Korra shared a look with Asami before glancing back at Mako, non-verbally pressuring him to say whatever it was that was bothering him.

“Oh, don’t mind him. He’s just a little upset you guys ran off without telling anybody. I don’t really mind it, but Gloomy Gong over here apparently likes to take everything personally.” Bolin shrugged, giving the two a ‘What can you do?’ sort of look while Mako shot him a glare that could freeze a volcano.

“…Oh.” Korra responded, looking back to Asami. This time, she seemed a bit more concerned. She had kind of skipped over telling them where she was going, hadn’t she? And Asami had too, from the looks of it. She didn’t think it’d be that big of a deal, though. “Um… sorry about that,” She awkwardly apologized. “It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing, you know? We told who we needed to so things wouldn’t fall apart without us and then kind of just. Went for it.”

“See, that’s what I’ve been telling him! But it’s like he thinks you have something against him, or something. I dunno. He refuses to talk to me about it so I’m just taking shots in the dark here.” Bolin shrugged again. Mako let out an annoyed sigh. His brother was completely misrepresenting the situation.

“…Something against him?” Korra raised an eyebrow, a little offended.

“I don’t think they have something against me, Bolin,” Mako corrected, a hint of anger in his voice. “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t try to speak for me when you don’t even know what’s going on.”

Bolin took a step back at that. He seemed to have made his brother legitimately upset, which was absolutely not his intention.

“Mako, that’s a little harsh...” Asami remarked.

“Okay, what's up?” Korra asked.

Mako sighed. They weren’t going to let this go, were they? “Okay, fine, so maybe I am a little upset that my two best friends went on vacation and then left me to find out about it secondhand the next day. I’ll admit, that sucked. I thought we were finally back to normal again after everything that’s happened between us and then you suddenly disappeared the next day. But this goes way beyond just that.” Mako began.

“While you two have been off doing whatever and getting betrothed, which is ridiculous enough after two weeks, this city’s been falling apart. It’s like as soon as the dust settled, you two were gone, leaving everybody else to pick up the pieces for you. I get that it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, but if you ask me, it was selfish. People are suffering, the city refuses to help them, the triads are more violent than ever, and you two have been acting like everything’s fine! This city needed you. _I_ needed you! But the way you’ve been acting, it’s like you don’t even care!”

“ _Excuse_ me?” Korra snapped at Mako’s accusation. “Well, sorry I wasn’t thinking about you after almost dying, again, let alone what the rest of the city might want. I mean, spirits forbid I decide to treat myself after all the shit I’ve been through these last three years, never mind what Asami’s had to put up with.”

“You’re the Avatar, this is your job, you can’t just disappear on us like that!” Mako replied. But Korra wasn’t having any of it.

“You think I don’t know who I am? You think I don’t think about this stuff every day?”

“You sure don’t act like it.”

“Okay, no, you don’t get to stand there and accuse me of not doing my job when you don’t know the first thing about what it’s like. I knew exactly what I was doing when I walked away to have this vacation. I made sure things could go on without me, and so did Asami.”

“Except they didn’t. Future Industries has done its best, but it needed Asami’s direction. Republic City has done its best, but it needed its Avatar’s help. I’ve done my best, too, but I needed you guys here with me and you just up and vanished instead. It’s hard not to be a little pissed off when you’re the one who has to stay behind wondering if you did something wrong while everything collapses around you.” Mako claimed. Korra grit her teeth.

“I honestly can’t believe how selfish you’re being right now. After everything that’s happened to us, I just thought it’d be nice if Asami and I could step away for a bit, relax, pursue something we’ve both wanted for a long time now, but nope! I forgot, I’m not allowed to go more than a couple seconds without considering how my actions might affect the all-important Mako, never mind the rest of the city!” Korra exploded, refusing to let Mako get another word in until she was finished.

“You know, I’m starting to remember why I broke up with you. I’m sorry you’re upset I didn’t tell you where I was going, but you are not entitled to every single aspect of my personal life, and the same goes for this city and everybody else in it. I did what I had to for me, so I could finish healing and be the best Avatar I can be for everybody, and Asami did the same for her own reasons. You do not get to stand there and judge me for that, not after everything I’ve been through.” She finished.

While Korra and Mako went at it, Bolin just stood there, blinking. He wasn’t really sure how to react, but he was beginning to think he shouldn’t have said anything after all. He looked to Asami for some sort of sign what to do, but she looked to be agreeing with Korra on this one. Her anger had her concerned at first, but Korra had a point and Asami knew it.

“Look, I get you were still hurting, but so were we.” So was he. Mako sighed. “Look, I’m sorry I upset you, and I’m sorry I’ve been getting so angry, but things have been rough ever since you left. But it’s whatever, okay? It doesn’t matter anymore. You’re here now.” He said, quickly trying to defuse the situation before it got any worse. But it was already too late.

“Oh no, you do not get to do that,” Korra began, even angrier than before now. “You do not get to turn this into some sort of personal attack against you or act like I'm ignoring my duty and then act like it’s all ‘whatever’ and ‘not important’ after I find out about it.” Suddenly, a hand on her shoulder pulled Korra out of it. Looking back, she saw Asami, the look in her eyes asking her to let it go now.

“Korra, that’s enough. I get why you’re upset, I am too, but he isn’t entirely wrong.” Asami said. Korra looked confused. “I agree with you. He shouldn’t be blaming us for everything that’s going on, but at the same time we both knew this would probably end up happening. Even if we didn’t think it’d be coming from Mako.” She said, aiming a look in his direction. Mako looked away.

“I know that, but… ugh.” Korra turned back to her friend. “Seriously, Mako? You told me before I left that you had my back. That you’d always be willing to stand and fight beside me. What, does that not extend to me taking care of myself or something?” She asked. Mako looked down. “I know I’m the Avatar. I know I have a responsibility to everyone. But I’m still human. I needed time before I was ready to tackle all of this again, and so did Asami. I thought you of all people would back me up on this.”

“I’m sorry.” Mako suddenly apologized. “I know all of this already, you’re right. That’s why I didn’t want to say anything and just let it be,” He said, glaring at Bolin for even bringing it up again.

“I know it isn’t fair to you, or Asami, or anybody else, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Up until the other day, I’ve been completely useless because of my arm, all I could do was watch. And yeah, I was a little upset at you about that, too, Korra, because I know you probably could’ve helped me heal even faster. But Republic City really is in trouble, and I’ve just been under so much stress because of everything that’s been going on. I’ve been upset. And it’s hard not to look for someone or something to blame.”

Mako sighed. “I never really considered _why_ you two left and just focused on the fact that you _did_ , and I took it personally because… I don’t even know why, honestly. Maybe I thought we were closer than that. But it wasn't fair to you.”

Korra frowned. Where was this Mako when the two of them were dating? She never really knew him to be this self-aware before. Even if it didn’t seem like he had, he’d grown up some over these last couple of years as well. She was still a little upset, but at least now she had a better understanding of things.

“I guess Asami and me taking off like we did was just the icing on the cake for you, huh?” Korra asked.

“Kind of, yeah.” Mako admitted. Korra sighed.

“I’m sorry for going off on you like that. But what you said really hurt, you know?” Korra apologized. “Look, I get it. Maybe I should’ve said something to you, and maybe I didn’t leave at the best time for the city. But after everything I’ve been through, I _really_ needed a break. I earned one. We both did.” She explained, looking back at Asami.

“But I’m not going to apologize for taking care of myself, and Asami shouldn’t have to either. I am sorry I didn’t tell you or Bolin where we were going or what was going on, but I honestly didn’t expect you to take it so personally. I mean, Bolin didn’t. So that one’s on you.” Korra concluded.

As much as he may not have liked it, Mako couldn’t disagree.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Mako sighed again, feeling as though a weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. He had a really bad habit of internalizing this sort of thing. It was nice to have it out in the open now. “Are we cool?”

“Yeah, we’re cool. Just please don’t do this again. Talk to somebody, for spirits’ sake.” Korra laughed, giving Mako a hug. This probably wouldn’t have happened if he actually bothered to open up once in a while.

“I can try.” Mako smiled, returning her hug. “I never did congratulate you and Asami, by the way. Sorry about that. But I’m really happy for you two – I think you’re going to be great together.”

“Thank you.” Korra smiled. Asami smiled, too. They were glad that was over, and so was Bolin.

“Um, is it safe to talk now…?” Bolin hesitantly asked, raising his hand.

“Yes, you can talk now, Bolin.” Korra laughed.

“Okay, phew. Sorry about that. In retrospect maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. But hey, you live and you learn, right?” Bolin asked, his question completely rhetorical. “Anyway, I meant to ask before things got all shouty and awkward, but what’s with all the stuff? You look like you’re moving out or something.”

“Oh, uh, I kind of am, actually,” Korra replied. Bolin looked surprised.

“Ooh, did you find a place in the city?” Bolin asked, excitement in his voice. Korra shared a knowing look with Asami.

“Something like that.” Korra laughed.

Mako shook his head, smiling. “You two are moving in together.”

“Yeah, we can’t wait, honestly.” Asami smiled.

“Ooh, that’s great! Me and Opal did the same thing a couple of days after you left, it’s been a lot of fun!” Bolin said with some excitement. Korra and Asami smiled. They were happy to hear the two of them were doing okay again.

“Congratulations, you two. Seriously.” Mako said. “And, sorry for being such a dumbass. Again.” The girls laughed.

“Yeah well you’re our dumbass, Mako. We wouldn’t have you any other way.” Korra teased, smirking. “Anyway, Asami and I should probably get going soon. I’m eager to start getting settled in.”

“Wait,” Mako rushed to request, suddenly remembering why he’d come here in the first place. “Before you go, there’s something I need to talk to you about. It’s about this case Bolin and I have been working on lately.”

“Bolin? Since when was Bolin a cop?” Asami asked.

“...Oh, did I forget to mention that? Yeah, I’m actually a cop now, and Mako and I are partners! Isn’t that awesome?! But uh, yeah, that case we’re working on… hoo boy. That is most certainly not awesome.” Bolin frowned.

“What’s going on?” Korra asked, the look on her face becoming markedly more serious.

“Well, to put it bluntly…” Mako began, sharing a look with Bolin. They were sure. “We think there’s a spirit attacking people in Republic City. Killing them, actually. It's sucking out their chi along with every fluid in their body, turning them into these horrible, dried up husks. I thought it was some sort of bender at first, but taking people’s chi isn’t human. I know you literally just got back earlier today, but… we need your help.” He admitted.

“A spirit? Killing people?” Korra asked. She looked shocked, and then grave. This wasn’t normal. Spirits never killed. She frowned, looking back at Asami.

“Go.” Asami said. “I’ll have Tenzin or Jinora take me back to my place and start putting your stuff away. Looks like Republic City needs its Avatar tonight.” She shrugged, giving Korra a reassuring smile. The Avatar nodded in response, turning back to Mako and Bolin. No use standing around here anymore, then.

“Alright then, let's go. Looks like I've got some catching up to do.”


	5. The Chi Eater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra has officially joined Mako and Bolin in their investigation! Rushing to the scene of the latest murder, Korra is overwhelmed by what she sees, confirming the group's worst fears. Pushing herself to the limit, she resolves herself to get to the bottom of this case before any more bodies turn up.

**Book Five  
Chi**

**Chapter Five  
The Chi Eater**

 

“Y’know, I never would’ve guessed Naga was such a fast swimmer.” Bolin remarked from atop the polar bear dog’s back.

Knowing that time was of the essence, Korra and the brothers had left Air Temple Island almost immediately, choosing Naga as their preferred means of transportation. Thanks to her, they’d made it across Yue Bay in what had to be record time, and personally, Bolin was in awe. Mako meanwhile was less than impressed.

“Dude, she’s from the south pole. Nothing but ice and water down there. What’d you expect?”

“Oh yeah... I guess even a big ol’ fluffy polar bear dog wouldn’t wanna be in _that_ too long, huh Naga?” Bolin asked, drawing no response from the dog-paddling Naga. She was far too focused on swimming.

Korra, too, was completely focused on the task at hand, paying no mind to the brothers’ banter. She was using her Waterbending to boost Naga’s speed even further, a dozen different thoughts running through her head at once. The idea that a spirit was out there killing people just didn’t make any sense to her, but she supposed she’d find out the truth soon enough. She just hoped Mako and Bolin were wrong about this one.

Upon reaching the city docks, Naga leapt high out of the water with an airbending assist from Korra. She then used her waterbending to dry Naga’s fur for her and directed the pup to keep running, full speed ahead.

“You know, you guys never told me where I was going.” Korra announced, interrupting the brothers’ discussion. It sounded like they were still talking about the south pole.

“Dragon Flats. Both murders took place in that area, though the most recent one was along its edge, near the Silk Road Bridge. We should probably head there, first.” Mako replied.

“Oh, I know where that is. I met someone there a few years ago.” Korra replied. Clearly not her favorite place given how the rest of that night went down, but at least she wouldn’t get lost on the way there.

“Well, these days, the place is crawling with triads, so be careful. Dragon Flats was never a very affluent neighborhood, but it’s only gotten worse since Kuvira.”

Korra turned back around with a self-assured smirk. She welcomed the challenge. “I think you forgot who you’re talking to, Mako. I’m the Avatar. I can deal.”

Despite her reassurances, Mako couldn’t help but feel uneasy. The closer they got to their destination, the more his arm started to tingle. He wasn’t sure if it was because he was nervous or if it actually meant something, but he decided to remain quiet about it in the end. At least for now. There would be plenty of time to talk to Korra about it later.

After making it across town and crossing the bridge, Korra slowed Naga down to a casual walk. “So you said the body was found somewhere around here, right?”

“Yeah… a couple blocks down from here.” Mako said, noting their current street. “I was going to suggest Bolin and I head out here earlier, but I thought it’d be safer to have you with us, especially if it really is a spirit. Maybe you can pick up on something with your Avatar powers that I can’t.”

‘ _A fair assessment’_ , Korra thought. Sensing the presence of spirits and spiritual energy was something that came easier to her now.

Having reached her destination, she climbed down from Naga’s back, instructing the brothers to do the same. The poor girl could probably use a rest. With Naga and the brothers now following close behind her, she cautiously walked down the dilapidated city streets, taking in what’d become of Dragon Flats.

To call this part of town a disaster would’ve been an understatement. Spirit vines dug through just about every other building, and the streets were a total mess. Wherever there wasn’t garbage and vines, some poor soul was living out of a cardboard box. There were abandoned and graffitied businesses everywhere. And even though it wasn’t that late, no light shined in any of the windows. But Korra knew these buildings weren’t all empty.

From every dark alleyway and boarded up window, she could feel eyes staring holes through her. If any of their owners were troublemakers, her presence alone kept them in check, but she could tell they were still suspicious. After all, Korra had been gone for weeks. She was part of the reason they were living the way they were. Why would she suddenly start caring about them now, right?

Mako’s words still rung in her head like a bell, no matter how much she wished that they wouldn’t. Being here and seeing it all first-hand though, it was hard not to start agreeing with him. She couldn’t help but wonder if the city really had forgotten about this place. If it weren’t for the occasional streetlight, she’d wonder if they even received power anymore. The sight of it all just made her feel sad. Did she really make the right choice by walking away when she did?

“I don’t see any spirits here, either...” Bolin thought aloud. The look on her face told him Korra had already picked up on it. Still, she looked back in his direction. She wanted to know what he meant. “I noticed this with the first victim, too. When we came by to talk to the witness, there were no spirits anywhere. They’re usually all over the place in this part of town.”

“Yeah, and something tells me it’d take a lot more than some triads to drive them away.” Mako commented.

Korra frowned. They were right and it worried her. She could feel it in the air that something was off here, and it wasn’t just that she was being watched. She just couldn’t put her finger on what it was, exactly. She felt like she could be jumped at any moment.

Sensing her unease, Mako decided to try and lighten the mood by changing the subject. “Sooo… you and Asami, huh?”

Korra didn’t even turn around. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop thinking it.” She warned.

Mako’s face snapped into an expression of red-tinted shock. “What? No! I’m not thinking anything, I’m just… really? You two? I never would’ve seen that coming.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not like it was some big secret, you’re just dense. Pema and Ikki figured it out ages ago.” Korra shrugged, conveniently neglecting to mention her own past density on the matter. Mako’s expression sunk slightly. A genius detective he was not, at least in affairs of the heart. “Anyway, which street are we looking for exactly? I’m still not entirely sure where I’m g–”

Korra froze, swallowing her words with a gulp. At the same time, Naga began to growl, moving ahead of her and the brothers and standing in a defensive position.

“…? Korra? What’s–” Mako didn’t have to finish the question. As soon as he stood where Korra and Naga did, he saw exactly what’d stopped them in their tracks.

There, in the middle of the street, four cops lay dead. Their bodies were shriveled up and mutilated, and their cars looked like they’d been thrown into a trash compactor. The street below them was cratered, and shattered glass and rubble littered the area.

“Oh… oh, spirits…” Bolin struggled to speak. It looked like the officers had put up a fight. It hadn’t been enough.

Korra ran for the nearest gutter, feeling as though she were about to puke. Her heart was pounding and her head felt like it was in a vice. Her entire body was shaking. As if the sight alone wasn’t sickening enough, that… that _energy_ in the air. She fell to her knees, clutching her stomach in pain.

“Korra!” Mako yelled, reaching out to try and catch her. “Korra, are you okay?!”

For Korra, everything went dark, and Mako’s voice sounded like she was hearing it from underwater. For the briefest of moments, it was just her. Her, and...

 

k̶̦̪̤̙̗͖̫̳͑͘.̵̼͕͙̠̦̗̎ͮ͐̄̅ͅ.͎̣̜̘ͨͫ̿͌̍.͎̫̳͖̻̰͐̎̈́̂͆͘i̵̔̒ͨ͒҉̘l̟͈̞̺̄̐ͫ͞ͅl̢͚̙͔͚̥̺ͭ̅̑ͅ.̹͉͕̑ͬ̓̈́̾̾ͣ͑͊͠.̣̩̟̘͊ͦ͂ͨ̏ͨ͛.̤̙̣̭ͭ̋̿̒ͬ̽ͫ

 

Despite her pain and discomfort, Korra whipped her head around. A cold sweat covered her body as she searched desperately for the source of the sound. But by the time she’d turned around, the world had returned to normal. All she saw were the concerned faces of Mako and Bolin, and Naga barking loudly in the direction of the dead officers. She thought she could see something peel away in the distance from the corner of her eye, but when she turned again to face it, it was gone. She tried to get back up, but immediately collapsed. Mako and Bolin ran to her aid.

“Korra?” Bolin asked. “Are you okay?”

“N-No,” Korra stuttered. Her jaw was trembling. Looking down, so were her hands. Was this… fear? “I...”

“...This isn’t human, is it?” Mako asked. Korra looked up at him, terror in her eyes. That alone said a lot.

“This... this is… not even Vaatu...” She couldn’t organize her thoughts. Not well enough to speak. Taking a deep breath, Korra closed her eyes. She had to calm herself. She tried to focus on something, anything else. Something that would help her calm down. She thought of her time in the spirit world and exhaled. After a moment, she felt okay enough to continue.

“This air… I’ve never felt anything so oppressive before. I felt off as soon as we entered this neighborhood, but _this_ … this is...” She looked back in the direction of the bodies. No matter how badly she wanted to look away, she couldn’t stop herself from staring.

“What? What is it?” Bolin urged.

“It’s… Energybending.”

Mako and Bolin shared a look. They thought only Avatars could do that.

“Whoever… no,” Korra quickly corrected herself. “ _What_ ever did this, it used Energybending to do it. It’s difficult to be sure because of all the spiritual energy flowing around here, but it feels like it did when I gave people their bending back after Amon. But all of this pain, this… _fear_ in the air. This horrible spiritual energy all around us. I’ve never felt anything like it before in my life, not even from Vaatu.”

As soon as she’d said it, Korra could feel something deep down inside of her disagree. She didn’t know why, but she could feel it in the back of her mind, the tiniest tinge of familiarity. “…Have I…?” She wondered aloud.

Mako and Bolin looked confused, but not as confused as Korra was. She felt as though she were suddenly disagreeing with herself, and she had no idea why.

Eventually, she was able to get back on her feet. She turned away from the bodies and faced her friends instead, still a little unsteady. She’d seen enough of that for a lifetime.

“I thought that Energybending could only give or take a person’s bending, though?” Mako asked. Korra shook her head but immediately stopped. The movement made her feel dizzy and she felt like she was going to be sick again.

“Energybending is how I opened that spirit portal, too. If I’m being totally honest with you, I… I don’t really know what it’s capable of.” Korra frowned, wishing she could be of more use. “All I know is what others have told me, and what they’ve told me is that it’s old, older than the Avatar. What I saw when I connected to Avatar Wan confirmed that. Anything else, I just don’t know.”

“So… is that why their chi is always gone then? Somebody took their bending away?” Bolin asked next. Once again, Korra shook her head.

“No. Whether I’m giving or taking a person’s bending away, it’s more like I’m just… changing what’s already there. Like I’m opening or closing a door. But this… this is more like somebody ripped all of their chi right out of their bodies. It has to be Energybending. It has to be a spirit.” The thing was, she’d never come across a spirit that made her feel like this before. But that was all the more reason to assume that it was one. Nothing else could leave an impression on the world or its energy like this.

“I thought spirits couldn’t bend, though? If our suspect’s a spirit, then how could it be Energybending?” Mako asked.

“Spirits don’t bend the elements, but that doesn’t mean they can’t bend energy. What do you think Vaatu’s spirit beam was?” Korra asked in reply. Mako hadn’t really thought about it before. “It isn’t really like bending for them though, I don’t think. Their whole bodies are made of energy, and so is their world, so for them it’s as natural as walking. Raava told me once that I’m more powerful in the spirit world than anywhere else. I think that’s because I’m an Energybender, just like the spirits.”

“So it’s definitely a spirit then.” Mako concluded.

Reluctantly, Korra nodded. “I just wish I knew why.”

From behind them, the sound of dropped groceries spilling across the ground brought an abrupt end to the three’s conversation. Korra turned to see what was going on only to be met by a frail old man. There was terror in his eyes, and he was trembling at the sight before him.

“Sir, this is an active crime scene, you shouldn’t be here,” Mako began. “We’re with the RCPD, everything is under control.” He fibbed, hoping to reassure him that everything was okay. But Mako’s words didn’t even seem to register with the man.

“Sir?” Korra asked, cautiously approaching the him. He stumbled back and immediately fell over. “Sir! Are you okay?!” She shouted, rushing forward to try and help him up. But he didn’t even seem to notice he’d fallen. He just sat there and continued to stare, shaking.

“It can’t be…” He whimpered. Korra grew more concerned, kneeling down in front of him. Once again, she offered to help him up. Though he grabbed her hand this time, there was a distant look in his eye that suggested he was as unaware of her as he was of the fact that he’d fallen over. He continued talking all the while. “It’s back… it’s back… I can’t get away…”

“Sir, what’s back? Do you know what did this?” Korra asked. Finally, he reacted to Korra’s presence, blinking a couple of times as he snapped back to reality. Most people were relieved when they saw the Avatar, but that look of terror never left his eyes.

“The Avatar…?” He asked. Korra nodded silently. The old man closed his eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath in and out. When he reopened them, he looked calmer than he was before, but not by much. “You have to stop it this time. I thought I’d be safe here, I thought it was gone…”

Korra frowned. ‘This time’? “Don’t worry, you’ll be okay. I promise.” She was hoping to ease his mind, but the old man seemed skeptical. She repeated her previous question. “Do you know what did this?” _‘_ _And do you know why this all feels so familiar?’_ , she wanted to ask.

The man fell silent for a moment, looking past Korra and to the bodies. While Korra was tending to him, Bolin had raised an earthy barrier around the perimeter until the police showed up. It obscured his view, and a look of relief washed over his face. As if he were afraid of who might be around to hear, the old man looked around before answering the Avatar's question. Realizing they were alone, he took a deep breath, turned back to Korra, and leaned in close, whispering his answer directly into her ear.

“The Chi Eater.”

“The Chi Eater…?” Korra asked, confirming the name. The old man nodded silently. Just as with the energy in the air, her stomach churned at the sound of the name. Something about it was eerily familiar. With the way he talked, saying that she had to stop it 'this time', she could only assume she’d encountered it in a past life.

“I thought it was just isolated to my village, but those bodies…”

“Can you tell me more about it? Is it a spirit?” Korra pressed. A deep frown set in the old man’s face and Korra apologized. She was getting ahead of herself. But the old man shook his head – that wasn’t it.

“The last time I told the Avatar about the Chi Eater, I was written off.” He accused. Korra looked shocked. He must’ve been talking about Avatar Aang, but she knew he never would have written anybody off. Now she _really_ wanted to know more.

“Please. I just want to put a stop to whatever’s doing this.” Korra assured. She didn’t want to start an argument. The man hesitated, but shared his story.

“…Fifty years ago, my village was being terrorized by a monster. For over a month, it attacked at random, targeting our benders and turning them into… _husks_ , completely emptied of chi. We reached out to Avatar Aang for help, but by the time he arrived to us on the eastern shore, it was too late. After twelve of us had died, the killings had stopped, and the monster disappeared.” The man’s frown deepened as he continued.

“Avatar Aang saw the bodies it left behind and listened to us tell our stories. He told us he’d never seen anything like it before, but that only a spirit could do what we’d described. He was convinced that we must have angered them somehow, and performed a spiritual cleansing of our land. He even helped us physically clean it of pollution leftover from the war, and told us that this would solve our problems, that this would stop it from coming back. I told him he was wrong.”

“What made you so sure?” Korra asked, trying her best not to sound too accusatory.

“I saw it.” He firmly replied. “I’d had the privilege of seeing a spirit as a boy, but what I saw in that village was no spirit. It looked like one, it felt like one, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t lashing out like Avatar Aang had said. It knew exactly what it was doing and it only targeted our village’s benders. That’s why it let me live, but my wife… my daughter…” The man fell silent, burying his face in his hands. He couldn’t relive that memory. Not again. He’d said enough.

Korra looked down. So that was why. “I’m so sorry…” She apologized, not sure what else to say. “For whatever it’s worth, I understand why Aang thought what he did, but I disagree with him. I think you might be right.”

“You do?” Mako asked with some shock. He and his brother had been listening in for a while now, after cordoning off the area from any other civilians. Last they knew, she’d agreed it was a spirit.

“Yes. Spirits don’t attack people for no reason, and they don’t move from one end of the continent to another. Not like this. I don’t know _what_ this is, but if it really is targeting benders…” Korra sighed. Looked like she had a mystery on her hands.

“I’m sorry Avatar Aang didn’t listen to you. He didn’t know the full story. He wasn’t around while the attacks were happening, and he had no idea it traveled around like this. From what I know, spirits didn’t like to move around before the portals opened. The few that still interacted with us were attached to sacred spots or places full of spiritual energy, like the spirit oasis at the north pole, and any that were around in Aang’s time probably still are. But this is different.”

“You believe me…?” Korra nodded. “Please… I’m a bender now, an Airbender… please don’t let it take me too.” He begged.

“I won’t. I promise.” Korra assured, placing a hand on the old man’s shoulder. For the first time since he’d arrived, he looked genuinely relieved, holding onto Korra’s hand on his shoulder, thanking her again and again. “Come on, my friends and I will walk you home.” She suggested. The old man nodded. He was a little hesitant, but as of now, he trusted Korra. She and the brothers picked up his groceries for him and walked him the remaining four blocks to his home, seeing him safely inside.

Once he’d closed and locked the door behind him, Korra sighed, walking back to Mako and Bolin in the middle of the street outside his house. She was upset. Sensing this, Naga nudged her head under Korra’s left arm and whined, looking up and licking her face in hopes of calming her down. Korra smiled weakly and thanked her for her concern.

“I really hate it when you’re right, you know that?” Bolin complained to his brother. “Why can’t you ever be right about good things?”

“Yeah, well, according to Korra, I’m not. I thought we were looking for a spirit.” Mako tersely replied. “What are we going to do?”

Korra’s smile gave way to another frown. “I don’t know.” She admitted. “I’ve never heard of anything like this before. I’ve spent a lot of time with spirits recently, and yeah, some of them can be a little capricious, or even dangerous, but to hunt people down like this… it just isn’t normal. I think I’m going to go ask Tenzin, maybe he’ll have some ideas.” Maybe Aang mentioned the old man’s story to him.

“First things first though, we should go tell the chief about the cops we found. She isn’t going to be happy, but it’s better that she hears it from us.” Mako suggested. Korra nodded.

“What about the bodies? We shouldn’t leave them unattended.” Korra mentioned.

“Already taken care of,” Bolin assured. “The cruisers were pretty beat up, but the radios were still working, so Mako and I called it in when we blocked off the area. Backup should be there soon.”

Korra sighed. That was good enough her. “I just really hope Lin doesn’t do anything too rash over this.”

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

 

Smashing her fist into a nearby wall, Lin cursed loudly at the news she’d been given. The room practically shook with the impact, and large cracks spread up and down the wall. Bolin winced at the sight, but Mako and Korra stood their ground, a sympathetic look in their eyes.

“Did you at least get their names?” She asked. Mako shook his head, handing Lin their badges instead.

“We can check their badge numbers with the officers assigned to the area… their bodies were too unrecognizable.” He replied, bowing his head. Lin grit her teeth.

“I’m sorry… whatever happened, by the time we got there…” Korra apologized.

Lin raised her hand, stopping her there. “It’s not your fault, I should’ve known better. Instead I sent four good men to their deaths tonight.” What was she even thinking? Mako had already told her they may have been looking for a rogue spirit. She never should’ve increased patrols like that, at least not without a firmer warning.

“Chief, you shouldn’t blame yourself. You couldn’t have known this would happen.” Mako reassured. Of course, Lin already knew that, though it wasn’t what she wanted to hear right now. What she wanted to hear was a plan to stop to this thing.

“I know now.” Lin sternly replied. “And now that I do, I’m not going to stop until we put this thing in the ground. Spirit, monster, human – it’s all the same to me. This city and this police force are my family, and whoever attacks _my_ family is going to pay the price.” Korra, Mako, and Bolin all nodded in agreement. “So, this ‘Chi Eater’, you called it. What do we know?”

“Well, we know it’s not human. Our witness seemed convinced it wasn’t a spirit, but he said it looked and felt like one regardless. Avatar Aang also believed it to be some sort of spirit, and Korra’s first reaction was that it had to be one, as well.” Mako began.

“But if it is, then it isn’t acting like any spirit I’ve ever heard of.” Korra tacked on. “It’s been around for at least 50 years, which means it predates harmonic convergence. This means that if it is a spirit, it has to be one that was already in our world, tied to a piece of land or a sacred site. Those spirits aren’t nomadic though, and this one is. We also know now that it seems to favor benders above anybody else when it comes to who it kills.”

“You said it eats their chi, right? Is there a difference between the chi of a bender and a non-bender?” Lin asked.

Korra shook her head. “Not that I know of. The only difference is how the chi is used. Otherwise, benders are perfectly normal humans. I don’t know why it’d prefer one over the other.” She explained with a frown. Just one more mystery about this thing they had to solve. “I do know it uses a form of Energybending to do what it does, though. This is another thing that leads me to think it’s some sort of spirit.” Well, unless their killer was a Lion Turtle, anyway. But that was unlikely.

“A spirit that doesn’t act like a spirit, huh?” Lin sighed. What a pain. At least that meant they didn’t have to bother trying to arresting it. After tonight, she’d be content with watching this thing die.

“There’s just one thing I don’t get,” Bolin spoke up. The focus of the room immediately shifted to him. Normally, this would’ve thrown him off balance, but this time he appeared to be too deep in thought to care. “What’s up with the hand print?”

Korra raised an eyebrow. “Hand print? What hand print?”

“Our last two victims had minor discolorations around their face. Bolin picked up on it when we followed up with the coroner.” Mako explained. “When the bodies are re-hydrated, they look like a distorted hand print. I thought they were burned into the skin, but Dr. Lou says that if they are, it’s not from Firebending or anything else he’s aware of.”

“Exactly! If this thing’s a spirit, why would it leave hand prints behind? How many human-shaped spirits are there?” Bolin asked.

“More than you might think, actually,” Korra replied. “I saw a lot of different spirits when I was in the spirit world, and some of them do have very human or ape-like hands. Spirits also have the ability to change their shape. It’s possible that if these killings really are premeditated, and it really does just want to kill people, it could be disguising itself as a human in order to blend in.”

Lin only grew more concerned. “That would make this thing a _lot_ more dangerous than we thought.” She warned. Korra agreed. Everything was pointing that direction. She had no clue how they were going to stop it.

“On the plus side, even if it’s taking on a human form, as the Avatar, I should be able to sense its presence if it’s nearby. But Republic City is huge. Until we know how it picks and chooses which benders to attack, finding it is going to be next to impossible.” Korra sighed.

“Well, we know it seems to be isolated to Dragon Flats, at least for now. All of its victims have been in or around that area. That’s pretty close to the new spirit portal, so it may not want to stray too far from such a huge point of energy. I think we should focus in on searching there.” Mako suggested. Lin nodded in agreement.

“Sounds like a plan. In the meantime, we’ve got some homework to do. Something tells me Republic City and some no-name fishing village aren’t the only two places this thing has attacked over the years. I’m going to call in some favors and search through some records.” Lin explained. Korra nodded, but hoped she was wrong. “Meanwhile, Korra, you go see Tenzin and do the same. See if he knows anything about this ‘Chi Eater’.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Korra replied.

“Mako, Bolin. You two are working overtime tonight. I’m gonna need some help looking through everything.”

“Yes ma’am!” Mako and Bolin replied in unison. Hugging the brothers before she left, Korra wished them luck, then left with Naga to go find Tenzin.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

 

Just as she’d left it earlier that evening, Korra returned to Air Temple Island on Naga’s back, cutting straight through Yue Bay. Just like before, she was boosting her speed with Waterbending, but it was becoming apparent now that Korra was getting tired. Today had been a long day, and tonight was even worse. She needed to rest, but the city needed her to work, and if that wasn’t the story of her life, she didn’t know what was.

“Sorry for the workout today, Naga. Stay here while I go talk to Tenzin, okay?” Korra apologized. The polar bear dog happily complied, curling up and taking a rest while Korra ran up the stairs to the temple. Though she raised a few eyebrows from acolytes she passed by in a mad dash for Tenzin’s room, none of them dared to stop her, opening doors for her as she drew near so she would be unimpeded.

Weaving her way down the halls, she slid to a stop just outside Tenzin’s bedroom door, frantically sliding it open only to find the room empty. She cursed beneath her breath. Where else would he be right now? Luckily for her, Tenzin had just rounded the corner and saw her immediately, curious to see her back so soon.

“Korra? Is something wrong?” He asked, noting that she was completely out of breath. Whatever she was doing here, she seemed to have come back in a hurry.

“Tenzin! Thank the spirits, I was about to go looking for you,” Korra began, still trying to catch her breath. “Something bad has happened. Something really, really bad.” She explained. Tenzin understood, only nodding and motioning for Korra to follow him back to his study. By the time she caught her breath, they’d arrived. Tenzin invited her to sit and closed the door behind them.

“What happened?”

Korra went on to tell him all about her night. She talked about Mako and Bolin’s case, the bodies, the old man’s story about the Chi Eater, and everything she’d experienced when she stumbled onto the officers. Tenzin listened intently all the while, his hands folded in front of him and his expression grim. He could tell immediately that this wasn't normal, even by spirit standards.

“Aang chalked it up to an angry spirit at the time,” Korra explained, reaching the end of her story. “But spirits don’t usually kill people, and they definitely don’t travel to the other side of a country to do it. I have no idea what this thing is. I was hoping Aang told you something about it, or that maybe you’d heard of it before. It’s already killed five people in Republic City. I _need_ to stop it.”

Tenzin hummed. Unfortunately, he wasn’t going to be much help in that department. He was at about as much of a loss as Korra was. “I’m sorry, Korra, but my father never mentioned it. I’ve also never heard of this ‘Chi Eater’ or anything quite like it before.”

Korra let out a defeated sigh. All that for nothing. She really thought Tenzin would have some idea of what was going on.

“However, I do agree that this doesn’t sound like an angry spirit. I have no idea what other sort of creature would be able to bend energy, but a spirit wouldn’t do everything you’re describing.”

“Well… there was something else, too.” Korra mentioned, piquing Tenzin’s interest. “When I was walking through Dragon Flats, I noticed something strange – there were no spirits. Anywhere. Ever since harmonic convergence, Republic City has been crawling with them, especially in the old downtown area. After the spirit portal, I thought there’d be twice as many at least, but there was nothing but that… that _thing’s_ residual energy. It was like they’d all run away, like they did when Kuvira attacked.”

“That’s strange… I can’t imagine why they’d run. Spirits don’t have much to fear from ordinary threats.” Tenzin replied. He was growing more concerned by the minute.

“That’s true… do you think they’d run if they sensed a dark spirit? Like Vaatu, or one of the spirits he corrupted during harmonic convergence?” Korra asked. Vaatu was gone, but, who was to say there weren’t more spirits like him? Spirits that craved death and destruction. Assuming the Chi Eater was a spirit, it was the only possibility she could conceive of.

“Maybe, but I don’t think that’s what we’re dealing with here. Vaatu is gone, at least for another 10,000 years. I don’t think his influence would still be extending to our world today, let alone 50 years ago.”

“Maybe not, but maybe there are more spirits like him out there. Maybe this is one of them.”

But that was a theory Tenzin couldn’t condone. “Spirits aren’t like people, Korra. Every one of them exists for a specific purpose, and collectively, they are balanced. Vaatu was the perfect counterbalance to Raava and vice versa. The idea that there would be another spirit of chaos and destruction like him seems odd to me, and would throw the spirit world into chaos without a companion spirit to counterbalance it.” Korra frowned. So much for that theory, then.

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll go through some old books and scrolls that my father and the acolytes put together over the years, see if I can’t find anything in there. At the very least, maybe I can find out something more about Energybending.”

Well, it was better than nothing, Korra supposed. “Thank you, Tenzin.” She replied, bowing to her old master. But to her surprise, he pulled her into a hug, instead.

“Of course. In the meantime, I think you should get back to Asami’s and get some rest. You look like you need it.” Tenzin suggested, noting the girl’s disheveled hair and the drained look in her eye. She looked exhausted, and she was, but she quickly recomposed herself on hearing Tenzin’s suggestion. Knowing what she knew now, she couldn’t just go home and do nothing.

“I think I’ve rested enough these past two weeks.” Korra replied, giving Tenzin her best fake smile. “Somebody needs to find this thing and put a stop to it before it kills again. With you, Lin, Mako and Bolin all researching it, I should be out there in the city, chasing this ‘Chi Eater’ down until you guys figure something out. Maybe I can at least scare it back into hiding for the night.”

“Korra, I don’t believe that’s the wisest decision right now. You shouldn’t be going at this alone, and I can tell you’re exhausted. You’ve been running around the city all day and you’ve hardly had time to readjust. Just let me and everybody else see what we can dig up for tonight and we can all go at this with fresh eyes in the morning. Perhaps we’ll find something that’ll make it easier to track this thing down.”

She knew Tenzin had a point, but it still felt wrong to Korra to sit back and do nothing. Even if there wasn’t anything she could do out there, maybe she could at least help Tenzin out. “Then let me help you look through your father’s collection, maybe I can–”

But Tenzin wasn’t having any of it. “Go. Settle in with Asami. Get some rest. Let us help you figure this out.”

Korra let out a defeated sigh. He wasn’t going to let her do anything, was he? And arguing with him was just tiring her out even more. Maybe Tenzin was right, maybe she should rest. If a simple argument was enough to tire her out, then maybe hunting down a rampaging spirit monster wasn’t the best idea right now.

“Fine. I don’t like it, but… you’re right. I just… I was so close, you know? It’d _just_ attacked. If we’d gotten there a minute earlier, then maybe we could’ve…” She gave up what she was saying part-way through, frustrated by the thought. “It just doesn’t sit right with me. Seeing what I saw and being that close, just to let it run and hide.”

“It’d already done that by the time you got there. There was nothing you could’ve done. You’re just going to get yourself hurt if you go out there looking for it now.” Tenzin warned. Hurt, or worse. He prayed she would listen to reason.

Thankfully, she did. She knew rushing in headfirst would probably just get her killed, and as frustrated as all of this made her, Korra wasn’t like that anymore. She knew she was better off stepping back and gathering some information first. She just wished there was something more she could do in the meantime.

“I know. You’re right. I’ll just… go swing by the estate and sleep on it, I guess.” Korra said in defeat. “Thank you, though. Really. I think I’m going to need all the help I can get with this one.” She smiled weakly. On top of being physically exhausted, now she was emotionally exhausted, too.

“Of course. Would you like to stay on the island for the night, instead? You can use your old room until tomorrow if you’d like.” Tenzin offered. But Korra shook her head.

“No, Asami’s probably waiting for me, even though it would be easier. Besides, I’ll have Naga do most of the walking. I think the two of us can make it back to the estate alright. Thank you for the offer, though.” Hugging him one last time, Korra said her goodbyes and started the walk back to Naga.

 

*** *** *** *** *** ***

 

If there was one thing Korra didn’t like about Asami’s mansion, it was that it was situated atop a giant hill. No matter how you went about it, whether you took the stairs or walked the road to the garage, you were in for a climb. Normally, Korra wouldn’t mind too much, but being as exhausted as she was, she was beginning to consider asking Asami to install some sort of elevator. She was sure that if she could speak, Naga would agree with her, too.

Dragging themselves up the last couple steps with what little energy they had left, finally, they made it to the door. Korra practically collapsed up against it. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she opened the door and stepped inside. It had to be around 11pm by now, but Asami’s butler was still there to greet them almost immediately. It was the same one who’d greeted Korra the first time had visited the mansion.

“Ah, Avatar Korra, Ms. Naga, greetings,” He greeted with a bow. “Ms. Sato has been expecting you. She is currently upstairs in the master bedroom, finding space for your things. I’m sure she’ll be delighted to see you.”

Korra gave the man an awkward hello and a thank you and then set her sight on yet another flight of stairs. They were very quickly becoming her worst enemy. “Who even thought this many staircases was a good idea? Why do I have to hike the equivalent of Mt. Makapu just to make it home?” She groaned.

“The downside to having your house built on a hill, I’m afraid.” The butler explained unnecessarily, completely missing the fact that Korra was exaggerating for comedic effect. “Ah yes, I almost forgot, Ms. Sato wanted me to let you know that Ms. Naga may sleep in the master bedroom with you two. A place has already been prepared by your bed for her comfort.”

Asami had thought of everything, it seemed. It was still a bit of an odd thought to her, though. The thought of ‘theirs’. ‘Their’ bed, ‘their’ room, ‘their’ relationship. Even now, it was so fresh and exciting to her – she couldn’t wait to just collapse onto the bed and fall asleep in her fiancee’s arms.

“Thank you. Our room’s in the center of the house, right?” Korra asked to confirm. The butler nodded in response. With a sigh, it was time for her to begin one last climb up a flight of stairs. But at least Asami was waiting at the end of it.

The mansion’s second floor was essentially set up in a double ‘H’ shape. Two long halls ran down the building on the east and west, and two smaller halls cut through the middle, connecting them. The first hall was where Korra had spied on Hiroshi all those years ago and the office that belonged to Asami now, while the second one, closer to the center of the building, was where Asami waited in the master bedroom.

In the hallway, paintings were hung above flowers and long red carpets, the whole second story having a rather lavish feel to it. Korra was completely out of her element here. She was too used to the small rustic homes of the Southern Water Tribe and the modest decorations of the Air Temple. Then again, her family did live in a palace now. But still, it wasn’t _this_ lavish inside. Stopping in front of the large mahogany doors to the master bedroom, Korra smirked. How ostentatious. Hiroshi really had a thing for showing off, didn’t he?

Pulling the doors open, Korra was immediately greeted by Asami, who had just finished putting the last of her belongings on a shelf by the bed.

“Korra, you’re here!” Asami smiled, walking up to meet her fiancee, pulling her into a tight hug. Naga meanwhile walked past Korra and Asami both, heading straight for the bed that’d been prepared for her, circling for a moment before lying down to sleep. Now she had the right idea, Korra thought.

Leaning back a bit, Korra took Asami’s face in her hands and gave her a kiss on the lips. She’d been wanting to do this all day. “Hey.” She smiled weakly, an exhausting mix of happiness, tiredness and mild frustration contributing to the lackluster greeting. At least that kiss was pretty passionate.

“Hey yourself.” Asami smiled, kissing Korra’s forehead. Korra just rested her head on her fiancee’s chest, sighing a bit louder than she’d intended. “Is everything okay?” Asami asked.

“Not really.” Korra mumbled to reply, at first refusing to lift her head. When she did, the look in her eyes spoke volumes to Asami. Something had happened, and it was bad. “Can we talk on the bed? I can barely stand.”

Asami frowned. “Of course.” She replied, following Korra who limply collapsed onto the unearthly soft, king-sized bed in the back of the room face-first. Sighing with relief, Korra rolled over onto her back and kicked off her shoes, deciding to just lay there with her legs hanging off the side as she let her smile fade.

“Three people died tonight. Cops.” Korra began as Asami took a seat next to her. “Some… _thing_ attacked them and turned them into these… I don’t know. They were like mummies. Literally everything had been drained from them maybe a couple of minutes before we got there. We never even made it to the crime scene they wanted to take me to in the first place.”

“That’s horrible,” Asami said, her frown deepening. “Are you okay?”

To this, Korra gave Asami as much of a shrug as she could muster in her current position. “I don’t know, not really. We think it might be some sort of spirit, or something related to them. But instead of chasing after it, I’m just laying here doing nothing while everybody else buries themselves in books trying to figure out what it is. I should be out there trying to find this thing and putting a stop to it, not laying around barely able to keep my eyes open.” She vented, grunting in frustration at her body’s limitations.

Asami grabbed hold of Korra’s hand and gave her a patient smile. “The Avatar’s human too, you know.” She reminded. “You look exhausted. Getting some sleep is probably the best thing you can do right now.”

Korra loosely gripped Asami’s hand in return, sighing. “I know that, I just… I feel like I’ve wasted enough time by being human these last three years. I should be doing more.”

“There’s no shame in taking care of yourself, Korra. Isn’t that what you told Mako a couple of hours ago?” Korra looked down. She had a point, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.

“I mean, I guess…” Korra pouted. Asami laughed. “This thing has me scared, Asami. I felt its presence. I… I’ve never felt anything like it before. Apparently it’s called ‘the Chi Eater’, and from the looks of things, even the spirits are terrified of it. I honestly have no idea what I’m up against right now.” She laughed weakly, almost as if she were amused by her own powerlessness. She tightened her grip on Asami’s hand. Asami tightened her grip, too.

“Well, you’ve taken down some pretty scary enemies before.” Asami reminded, lying down next to her fiancee. “You single-handedly stopped ten thousand years of darkness, you know. I think you’ll be able to handle this Chi Eater too.” Korra smiled weakly. She hoped so. “I know it’s frustrating, but for now, I think you’ve done all you can do. Just leave the rest to Mako and Bolin and whoever else is working on this for tonight. I’m sure you’ll all come up with something tomorrow.”

Asami gave Korra a warm smile, and the sight of it alone lessened the burden on her mind, at least a little bit. As if on reflex, she felt the corners of her mouth turn ever-so-slightly upward in response. This girl, she swore – any time she smiled, Korra couldn’t help but follow suit.

“Yeah, I know… Tenzin told me pretty much the same thing.” She replied. “Honestly, I’d probably be searching the city right now if he hadn’t insisted I get some rest first. I know you guys are right, but… I’m scared. This feels different, somehow.”

Asami rolled onto her side so that her whole body was facing Korra, reaching up with her free hand to brush a lock of hair from the Avatar’s face. “I’m sure everything will turn out fine. I believe in you.” She said, bringing her hand to a rest by Korra’s ear and looking her directly in the eyes so she knew she was being honest. Korra smiled weakly, but genuinely, in response.

“Thanks.” Korra replied, feeling a little less upset than before. She could always count on Asami to be there for her. Times like these, Korra could really start questioning herself sometimes. Having somebody so openly support her and be willing to listen was a huge help. Yawning, Korra leaned over and gave Asami another kiss, this one on the cheek. Then, she let go of the girl’s hand and curled up on the bed.

She was way too exhausted to get changed, let alone maneuver herself under the covers, so she barely cared that she’d be sleeping in her clothes again . Smiling, Asami followed suit. She didn’t show it as plainly as Korra, but she was feeling pretty exhausted too. She stuck close to her fiancee and crawled over to the other side of the bed.

As Korra rolled over onto her side so she could face Asami while she slept, she drew her knees halfway to her chest and left her arms half-unfurled in front of her. She could feel her eyes grow heavier as Asami mimicked her position and faced her, too, grabbing hold of Korra’s hands again. She smiled softly and Korra could feel herself falling in love all over again.

Finally feeling herself begin to drift off, Korra put the evenings events to the back of her mind and focused instead on… this. Her and Asami, together, finally. If every day could end like this from now on, then maybe everything would be alright in the end.


	6. The Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The investigation has turned up a name: The Chi Eater. With a better understanding of what they're up against, the Republic City Police Department is thrown into a frenzy. Could a supposed witness from one of the triads hold the key to uncovering the truth about this illusive spirit?

**Book Five  
Chi**

**Chapter Six  
The Investigation**

  
The next day, Asami awoke to find herself alone her bed. She could hear the sound of running water in the attached master bathroom, and see some steam curling up from beneath the door. It seemed Korra had woken up early today, seizing the opportunity to hop into the shower before Asami got up and hogged it all to herself for an hour. A wise move, Asami thought.

Yawning, she stretched her arms out above her head, lifting her eyes out of the sunbeam that’d woken her up in the first place. But the clicking of small, taloned feet drew her eyes back toward her ceiling as a couple of sparrowkeets danced on the glass above her head. Asami always thought that as an interior room, this place could be a little depressing, so she had a skylight installed as a solution. It was the perfect way to wake up in the morning, she thought, and she liked being able to stargaze from her own bed. 

As she draped her legs over the side of the bed, the shower came to an abrupt stop. It was almost as if Korra knew her fiancee had woken up. The timing made Asami smirk. Sliding her feet into a pair of slippers, she walked over to Naga and wished her good morning with a pat on the head. Naga sighed contentedly in response, but didn’t get up. Asami couldn’t blame her – the polarbear dog had had a long day of carrying people around yesterday.

Asami walked over to her closet. Now that Korra was done in there, it was her turn to hop into the shower and face the day. Today was when the real work began for both of them, she supposed. Asami with her company and Korra with the Chi Eater.

While Asami put together her outfit, Korra stepped out of the bathroom mostly dressed and ready for the day. She seemed to be drying her hair with a bit of Airbending, an idea Asami found to be pretty convenient. It almost made her wish she could Airbend, too. In fact, maybe she could? Just like that, she was contemplating a new invention, thinking of how she could use a miniaturized motor to power a fan in a handheld device which could accomplish the same thing. Maybe it could even blow out warm air…

While Asami contemplated the invention of the hairdryer, Korra greeted her fiancee with a tease. “Hey there sleepyhead, it’s about time you got up.” She smiled, looking around the room for where she’d left her shoes.

Asami chuckled, draping her clothes over an arm and walking over to give her Avatar a peck on the cheek. “Morning, Korra. I’m surprised you got up so early, especially with how tired you were last night. Normally I’m the one waking up first.”

“That’s only because we were on vacation, I’m used to waking up pretty early for training... whether I like it or not.” Korra corrected, finding what she was looking for under the bed. “Now that I’ve got Avatar stuff to do again, I don’t really have the luxury of sleeping in anymore.” She sighed, reaching underneath the bed to grab her shoes. It was kind of a shame, she really liked whiling away the morning hours lying around with Asami.

“I’ve gotta go get back to the station as soon as possible, anyway. See if Mako, Lin and Bolin made any progress on this ‘Chi Eater’ thing. With any luck they’ll have found something already.” Korra hoped.

Asami nodded, smiling, then quickly took off her nightgown in preparation for the shower while Korra watched and put on her shoes. Catching her staring, Asami chuckled. It was nice to see Korra in a better mood today. “No time for that today, sorry. We’ve both got a lot to do.” Asami smirked while Korra blushed. She wasn’t thinking anything until Asami mentioned it! Which, come to think of it, was probably the point...  

“Good luck out there, babe.” Asami said, leaning in and kissing Korra on her cheek.

“Thanks, you too.” She replied, returning the gesture. “I know you’ve got your work cut out for you as well.”

Then, just as Asami was about to enter the bathroom, a knock at the bedroom door caught the two by surprise. It was Asami’s butler, announcing the arrival of a guest hoping to speak with them. Korra and Asami shared a look. A guest? At this hour? It was only 8AM. They really hoped it wasn’t just more press. Neither of them wanted to deal with that right now.

Sighing, Asami quickly put on a shirt and grabbed a robe, making her way downstairs with Korra to find President Raiko with one of his aides, waiting for them in the middle of the foyer. As per usual, the president’s arms were folded behind his back, the man himself seemingly unaware of how smug it made him look. What was  _ he _ doing here? Raiko nodded and wished them a good morning as they descended the stairs to meet him. 

“Sorry to be bothering you two again so soon. I actually just wanted to speak to Korra right now, but I guess there was a bit of a miscommunication.” 

“It’s no problem, really. What brings you here so early?” Asami asked, a hint of restrained annoyance in her voice.

“Chief Beifong just filled me in on what’s been going on in the city lately, that case your friends have been working on. The Chi Eater one? I understand you stumbled across the remains of a couple of cops it’d attacked. My condolences. I hope you’ll catch the culprit soon.” Raiko explained, subtly reminding Korra that this was her problem now.

Korra just frowned. She was eager to get back out there so nobody had to see anything like that ever again, least of all her. “I was actually about to head back to the precinct right now, see if they found out anything new in their investigation. Trust me, I want to put an end to this thing as quickly as possible.” Raiko nodded again.

“And I’m sure you will. I have the utmost faith in your abilities, Avatar Korra.” Raiko replied. Korra almost laughed. As if she believed that. “But that’s not actually why I wanted to talk with you.”

“It’s not?” Korra asked with some surprise. Raiko shook his head.

“An important mover premiere is scheduled tonight at the Pro Bending Arena, and there will be a donation ceremony to support the city’s reconstruction just before. It’s going to be free to the public and will probably attract quite the audience as a result. I’m not sure if Varrick ever got around to inviting you two, but I would like for you to attend the premiere tonight regardless. Given everything that’s been going on lately and the nature of this ‘Chi Eater’ that’s been prowling the streets, I would feel much more secure having the Avatar in the audience... as too would the citizens of Republic City, I’m sure.”

At the mention of the premiere, Asami looked a little embarrassed. Whoops. She’d completely forgotten to tell Korra about that last night. She wanted to make a date out of it, too!

“Oh, right, I was actually meaning to tell Korra about that last night, but, um, other things ended up getting in the way.” Asami sheepishly explained, turning to Korra. “Varrick kind of indirectly invited us through Ravi the other day.”

Korra raised an eyebrow, looking back at Asami. A mover premiere? She couldn’t say she’d ever been to one of those before. She was definitely curious, though. “That  _ does _ sound pretty interesting…” She thought aloud. “Honestly, I’d rather be hitting the streets in search of this thing, but if it’s going to be that big of an event, it might actually end up drawing its attention.”

“My thoughts exactly.” President Raiko agreed. “Lin assures me that she has everything under control, but we still don’t know what this Chi Eater is for sure. I don’t want to take any chances. This is an important event for the city, and not just because of the donation ceremony. I would very much appreciate having you in attendance.”

Korra nodded. People could probably use the distraction, she thought, and having her there would make that a lot safer a proposition than it otherwise may have been. And besides, it was going to be her first mover! If everything went well and the Chi Eater didn’t show up, maybe she could turn this into hers and Asami’s first real date in the physical world!

“Alright, sounds like a plan.” Korra replied, entirely convinced. “I’ll be there. And if that Chi Eater does show up, I’ll be sure to give it a piece of my mind so we can get right back to the mover.” She declared with a crooked grin, pounding her fist into her open hand. She was admittedly a little eager to see some action again, even despite the circumstances.

Raiko smiled. “Excellent. If Varrick invited you two, then I’m sure he already has your seats arranged in the VIP section with the rest of us. I look forward to seeing you there tonight.” With that, Raiko left the girls to the remainder of their morning, his aide turning and bowing to them before following the president out the door.

With Raiko gone, Korra turned to face Asami, visibly excited despite the circumstances. “Man, I’ve heard of movers before, but I’ve never actually seen one. I know I should be focused on the Chi Eater right now, but I’m really hoping we get to enjoy tonight.”

Asami giggled at the large, dorky smile on her fiancee’s face. She loved seeing her excited like this. “That’d be nice. I’ve wanted to take you to a mover for years, you know. I watched them all the time back when you were still recovering; you’re going to love them, trust me.” And that was a promise, as far as Asami was concerned. “Anyway, I should go take that shower now, I’ve  _ really  _ gotta get ready for work. I’ll see you tonight.” She smiled, grabbing hold of Korra’s hands and kissing her on the lips.

Korra blushed, her grip on her fiancee’s hands lingering as she walked away. That entire vacation may have technically been a date, but this one felt so official. She knew that she shouldn’t, but she had high hopes for tonight. “See you then. Have a good day at work!” Korra wished as she headed out the door, waving goodbye to Asami. It was time for her to get caught up on the Chi Eater investigation.

  
*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
The instant the elevator doors opened, Korra was greeted by a much busier detective’s office than the one she’d left the night before.

Papers, maps and boards were set up on a large portion of the floor, and a team of nearly a dozen veterans and detectives has been gathered to help out. Some were on the phones, others were reading through incident reports (some of which looking both very old and very foreign). Suddenly, one of them turned around, a look of concern on their face, adding a bright red X to the biggest of the maps set up on the eastern wall.

Confused, she scanned the room for Mako and Bolin, but to no avail. Walking over to their desk, she saw that it was covered in papers, but otherwise unoccupied. There was another map of the world set up on a bulletin board behind it. It looked as though there were a couple of X’s on this one as well, but not as many as there were on the larger one on the wall. On closer inspection, she could see they were strewn about everywhere – the Earth Territories, the Fire Nation, the Water Tribes, even the old Air Temples.

Just what was all of this? This couldn’t all be about the Chi Eater, could it? Korra furrowed her brow, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. The more that she looked, the more she feared that it was. She had a feeling things were about to get a lot more complicated. 

Looking up from the board behind her friends’ desk, Korra’s eyes settled next onto a familiar face in the corner of the room, one she did not look too pleased to see.

“Saikhan!” She called out, the man in question nearly jumping out of his skin at the sound of her voice.

“A-Avatar Korra, th-there you are, the Chief’s been expecting you,” Saikhan stuttered.

“What are  _ you  _ doing here? What’s going on?” Korra practically demanded to know. Last time she saw this bozo, he was throwing her friends in jail under the orders of councilman Tarrlok. Unfortunately for him, she hadn’t forgotten about that.

Saikhan flinched. “I-I was called in early this morning to help with this case of yours, everybody was.”

“What? Why?”

“Ask her yourself, I’m sure she’ll explain everything to you. She’s in the office with a couple of her men right now,” He recommended, clearly trying to hurry their little encounter along. Thankfully, the phone on the desk to which he’d been assigned began to ring, saving him from any further awkwardness.

Korra narrowed her eyes. If Lin had called Saikhan of all people back, then this really did have to be big. She could feel the knot in her stomach grow tighter. Following Saikhan’s suggestion, Korra made her way to the back of the room, knocking on the door to Lin’s office and then opening it without waiting for a reply. Inside she found Mako, Bolin, Tenzin and the chief all overlooking over another map that’d been spread out over Lin’s desk - this one being of Republic City.

“…Tenzin? Why are you here? What’s going on out there?” Korra asked, grabbing the four’s attention. Smiling at Korra’s arrival, Bolin energetically waved hello while Mako, Lin and Tenzin simply turned in her direction. With exception to Bolin, who had had more coffee than any one person should ever be allowed to consume, they all look exhausted. But on seeing Korra, that look of exhaustion turned to relief.

Lin sighed, removing her hands from the table and motioning for the Avatar to come in. “Korra, good, it’s about time you got here. We had a major break in the case last night –  _ huge _ . We’re pretty sure what we’re dealing with is a spirit now, and a nasty one at that. This thing has been wreaking havoc around the world for  _ centuries _ .” Tenzin nodded along in agreement.

As soon as she’d mentioned ‘centuries’, Korra’s expression sank, giving way from confusion to disbelief, and more than that, anger. 

“I’m sorry, what?!” Korra exclaimed. 

“He means it’s been killing people for a couple hundred years now,” Bolin clarified. Korra shot him a glare - she knew what centuries were. Bolin fell quiet. 

That had to be some sort of mistake. How in the hell could this thing have been killing people undetected for centuries? She was completely beside herself. At least one other Avatar would’ve had to have encountered it in all that time, right?

Aang was one thing, going off of what little information he had and due to having only shown up after the fact, but there was no way a spirit could’ve been running amok for that long without the Avatar being aware of it. She was almost insulted by the implication. 

Korra glanced over in Tenzin’s direction, hoping she’d misheard what Lin had said, but he tiredly nodded again, elaborating further while the Avatar’s brow furrowed in frustration.

“I started doing some research into what you’d described to me last night, just as you’d asked. At first I couldn’t find anything, but after a couple of hours, I started finding strange accounts in letters between the temples and in the journals of monks dating back almost 900 years. It was just as you’d described - people would disappear only to turn up days later as dried up, chi-less husks. Once I realized what I’d found, I went to wake up Lin only to find out she was working late at the station.”

Korra almost choked. 900 years? This thing had been killing people for over  _ 900 years _ ?

Mako tacked on, “And that’s not all. After doing some digging, we found old reports from across the Earth Kingdom territories, and even two or three from the Water Tribes and Fire Nation. Some of them are even older than what Tenzin found. Each and every time, it gets written off as angry spirits, or local monsters, or urban legends, but the details are the same.  _ Exactly _ the same. We think it’s all the same spirit, that Chi Eater the old man told us about last night.” 

_ ‘That’s not possible,’ _ Korra thought, shaking her head with her arms crossed decidedly over her chest. What, did they think her past lives just twiddled their thumbs the whole time or something? None of this made any sense. She didn’t want to believe it, not even if it was coming from them. They had to have made a mistake.

“If there’s been a spirit killing people around the world for  _ that _ long, one of my past lives should’ve encountered it and stopped it by now. At the very least, knowledge of it should’ve been passed down, but I’ve never heard of it before now. This has to be something else, it  _ can’t _ be a single spirit.” Korra defended, throwing her arms around in frustration.

“You’re talking about more than a thousand years of Avatars here, nearly a dozen people whose  _ sole purpose _ is to stop things like this from happening. There’s no way something like this could’ve escaped the Avatar’s detection for this long… there just isn’t.” She insisted.

“Ooooh, then maybe it’s just a really old guy, cursed by a mosquito spirit to suck the energy out of everyone he meets with his straw-like mouth! Then, he uses the energy to create his evil mosquito-man babies and they grow up and do the same thing!” Bolin theorized, mimicking the entire process as he explained. But once again, a glare from Korra shut him back up, along with the looks of just about everyone else in the room.

“Here, take a look for yourself if you don’t believe us.” Mako replied, handing Korra a freshly compiled folder detailing everything they’d found out during their long night of research. They’d been working around the clock calling libraries, national archives, and political, military and law enforcement officials from around the world, asking about any and all similar stories and writing down the details.

In exploring the city’s archives, they’d even stumbled across some old Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation reports dating back to the time of the Hundred Year War, compiled by soldiers of both sides who’d encountered similar events. They’d launched separate investigations into the deaths but both failed to turn up any new information. And it was the same exact thing with every file, every report, every person that they talked to.

“Every time, it was the same exact story. People begin to disappear, and in their place, bodies completely drained of water, life and chi got left behind.” Mako explained.

While they were sure they couldn’t have found every case, and they couldn’t confirm a lot of the stories, they had enough to see a pattern start coming into focus, one that even Korra couldn’t deny. Combined with what they’d heard from the old man the night before, they had a string of four incidences each roughly  25 years apart from one another: Northern Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Earth Kingdom again, and then most recently, the Fire Nation.

With exception to the old reports from Air Temples, they were almost exclusive to smaller towns and villages, and they all lasted for a couple weeks at a time. It seemed it was only in the last century or so that it’d started venturing into larger, denser areas as well, presumably due to the higher concentration of targets. 

While body counts between these apparent cycles varied, the time frame was always the same. If it weren’t for that pattern, Korra would be fine looking for literally any other explanation, but she had to admit that this was undeniable. It had to be the same thing, and it had to be a spirit -  no human or creature she knew of could live that long.

Korra grit her teeth. How could this have happened? How could the Avatar have failed so spectacularly for so long? The evidence was overwhelming, but she still couldn’t believe it. She  _ refused _ to believe it.

“No… no, this can’t be right.” She stared at the map, tracing a line between each mark with her finger. This was too deliberate, too well-planned - spirits did  _ not _ act like this. They didn’t travel the world killing people and eating their chi, they didn’t act on regular cycles, and they  _ definitely _ didn’t manage to avoid bumping into the Avatar for nearly a thousand years while doing it. 

She looked up from the map, visibly upset. “There’s no way a spirit could be doing this. I would’ve known. Aang would’ve known. Roku would’ve known.  _ Some _ other Avatar would’ve known!” She declared.

Tenzin put a hand on her shoulder and sighed. “Korra, I understand your frustration, but I’m afraid the evidence speaks for itself. This thing has been eating people’s chi for over a thousand years in the exact same way and the exact same pattern. I’ll admit, its behavior is unusual – unbelievably so, even – but there is nothing else that could live that long and kill in this way. I’m sorry.” He didn’t want to believe it either, but there was just no other explanation. It was the only thing that fit.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, kid. This thing’s smart. Real smart. Yeah, the Avatar’s failed to stop it, but I think that was by design.” Lin said, managing to capture the Avatar’s curiosity. By design?

“Look at where it’s attacked up til now. These are small, isolated villages. Every time it’s active, it gets written into legend as some local monster in that area’s mythology, or explained away as an angry spirit. Up until the hundred year war, it never attacked the same place twice in the same century, and the attacks seem to stop in an area after it develops into too big of a city. It’s even changed nations in an attempt to throw people off its trail. The only time it’s ever changed its MO was about 150 years ago – right when the Avatar had disappeared and everybody feared the cycle had ended for good. It did everything in its power to avoid you, but since then, it’s gotten cocky.” Lin smiled. “Now, we’re finally onto it.”

“Yeah, and the world’s more connected now than it was since the last attack.” Mako added on. “The last time it attacked was in the Fire Nation, but the world is more united now than ever before. We can call these places up on the phone and trade information instantly. In the past, this thing relied on the division between villages and nations and the lack of communication to get around undetected. Things aren’t like that anymore. It was only a matter of time before it got caught.” He concluded. He was visibly exhausted, but determined. Focused.

Korra sighed. They all had a point. Unless there was a thousand year old spirit-looking human running around sucking people’s chi out of their bodies with a magical spirit straw, this  _ had  _ to be some sort of spirit. 

“I don’t want to believe it, but… maybe you’re right. Maybe this thing just… outsmarted the Avatar cycle. Maybe the Avatar failed.” Wouldn’t have been the first time, she thought, though she tended to think more highly of her past lives up until now. “I just don’t understand why a spirit would attack people and eat their chi like this. It just doesn’t make any sense.” But then, neither did the alternative.

Even if it made Raava and her past lives look bad, it seemed that this was the most likely explanation.

“That’s why this is still an investigation. We don’t have all the answers yet, but we’re not done looking for them, either.” Lin assured. “Now we know how long we have to track this thing down and put an end to it once and for all. Factoring in the last few days, we have a few weeks before it turns tail and disappears again. There’s still a lot we don’t know, but what we’ve got will have to be enough.”

Korra looked an unhealthy mix of angry, annoyed, and more than anything, disappointed. So much for today being better.

“Well, actually, maybe not,” Bolin spoke up. “That’s why Mako and I first came in here to talk to you. We just got the call before we came in, but we may have found a witness to last night’s attack - somebody who saw the Chi Eater in person!”

“What? Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Lin pressed.

“Well, we tried, but then Tenzin showed up, and you had us go update the map with the Air Temples, and then you were showing Tenzin where it’d attacked in Republic City, and then Korra showed up…” Bolin replied, counting off the events on his fingers. Lin sighed. She was being rhetorical, but it seemed Bolin didn’t get the memo.

Mako continued where his brother left off. “They call him ‘Gonzo’. He’s listed in our files as a mid-level fence for the Triple Threats known for dealing contraband in the Dragon Flats area. Apparently, he was there when the attack happened and has been telling everybody in the area that he fought the thing and lived. I have no idea if he’s telling the truth or not, but… it’s something.” He shrugged.

“It’ll have to do. Take your brother and the Avatar back to Dragon Flats and see what you can get out of this ‘Gonzo’ character.” Lin ordered. Mako and Bolin answered with a sluggish but determined (especially for Bolin) ‘Yes ma’am’ in response, their unison drawing a somewhat impressed look from Korra. “And Mako. This is bigger than just Republic City. If you think he might actually know something, I want you to get it out of him, whatever it takes.” 

“Don’t worry, I’m sure once he sees me, he’ll be more than willing to talk.” Korra assured, hiding her concerns by cracking her knuckles with a crooked grin on her face. Though she looked a little skeptical, Lin nodded, excusing Korra and the brothers from her office.

Once the three had walked away and he was sure they were alone again, Tenzin addressed Lin with a concerned look set in his brow.

“Lin, are you okay?” He asked, not that it wasn’t obvious.

“Four men just died under my orders, Tenzin. I’ll be okay when we put this thing in the ground.” The chief replied, staunchly refusing to face him. Tenzin frowned. He wanted to say more, but he wasn’t sure what. He knew better than anybody how Lin could be when she was hurt, but he also understood less than anybody how to actually handle that.

Seeing as she wasn’t in the mood to talk it out, Tenzin resigned himself to silence. The best he could do for now was to help her put this case to bed for good, and that’s what he was going to do.  
  
  


*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
  
The drive from the new precinct building back to Dragon Flats was not a very long one at all. Korra was sitting in the back seat with Bolin up front and Mako behind the wheel. But never the type to revel in silence, Bolin made sure it wasn’t a silent one either – almost as soon as they’d left, he’d begun pressing Korra for details on her vacation with Asami.

How fun had it been, what was the spirit fruit like, did the spirit world have any bathrooms, and of course, when did they first kiss. And once he’d started asking about her and Asami, the floodgates really flew open. He wanted to know  _ all _ of the juiciest details. Thankfully, while Bolin loved to gossip, Korra loved to talk about Asami, and desperately needed to change her mind, so it was a win-win for the both of them. As far as Asami was concerned, Korra was an open book.

At least, for the most part. There were a few things she seemed to have glossed over and a couple of questions she didn’t go too in depth with, but Bolin didn’t seem to mind. In fact, the only one who minded anything was Mako.

While he wasn’t the grouch that he was the night before, he certainly seemed to be less than thrilled about what was going on right now. His questions were few and far between, and his comments – if any – were remarkably short. It was obvious that on top of being sleep deprived, he was a little uncomfortable, but Mako was keeping it to himself this time – he didn’t want to ruin his brother’s fun or give Korra the wrong idea. He really was happy for her, he just… still had to get used to the fact that his exes were dating each other now.

“You know Mako, it’s okay to still be uncomfortable about all of this,” Korra casually spoke up, catching the Firebender’s attention. Albeit only partially, as the majority of his focus was still on the road. “We can stop if you want us to.”

He hesitated a bit before answering. “No, no, it’s fine, it’s just…” He stopped for a moment, looking for the right words. Simpler was probably better, in this instance. “...Was I really that bad of a boyfriend?” He asked, glancing back briefly at Korra. She wasted no time in giving him an answer.

“Yeah, actually, you were.” Korra laughed. “No offense, but as good of a friend as you are, you make a terrible boyfriend. Or… you did three years ago, anyway.” She was giving him the benefit of the doubt on that much; he’d probably changed more than she’d realized in all that time apart. Maybe he’d matured some in that department. “Don’t worry, there’s no hard feelings though, from either of us.” She reassured.

“Well, at least there’s that.” Mako sighed, laughing a little under his breath. “I guess those relationships really were kind of a disaster, huh?”

“‘Kind of’ is putting it lightly,” Bolin teased. Korra laughed. They were peak teen drama back in the day. “Personally, I’m just glad Opal and me are doing okay again. That time with Kuvira really sucked.”

“At least it gave you an idea on what to do for the future, though.” His brother reminded.

“Yeah… the military wasn’t for me, but I think I could get used to this whole police business.” Bolin smiled, leaning back in his seat some.

“Well that’s good, because we’re here.” Mako announced.

Compared to last night, Dragon Flats couldn’t have looked any different. While the streets and the buildings were still visibly worse for wear, they were more alive than either of the three ever could’ve expected. It was just as busy as the rest of the city, though it did have its differences.

People weren’t used to traffic in this neighborhood and carelessly strolled in the middle of the street, going about their business. Most shops had set up stands outside, taking advantage of the beautiful day, while groups of volunteers worked on repairing the buildings damaged during Kuvira’s attack. They seemed to be completely unaware of last night’s events, smiling and shopping as if nothing had happened.

Rather than giving in to despair, the community seemed to have come together in the wake of everything that’d happened; even in spite of the triads. It was a welcome sight to be sure, but a far cry from what they’d experienced the night before. Last night, there was a sense of foreboding and unease, of intrinsic distrust; they’d be forgiven for thinking they’d made a wrong turn somewhere.

“Even the air is different...” Korra thought aloud as she stepped out of the cruiser, shielding her eyes from the sun. “It’s almost as if last night never happened.” But on reminding herself of the situation, she started to feel uneasy again.

“You’re telling me.” Mako replied, scratching his head. The department had already cleared away the broken cruisers and finished with the crime scene, it seemed. There were no signs of earthbending or yellow tape to be seen anywhere. It really was as though last night hadn’t happened.

Bolin, meanwhile, marveled at how many people were out and about right now, and how they all seemed to be coming together to rebuild their neighborhood. “I guess this part of town is doing a bit better than Mr. Che’s, huh?”

Despite her nerves, Korra smiled. It was weird, but a welcome weird. “Maybe this city’s stronger than you guys thought.” She remarked. “Now, where’s this ‘Gonzo’ guy?”

“According to our intel, he runs a fruit stand somewhere on this street. He uses it as a front to peddle drugs and old Equalist gear that went missing after Amon was exposed.” Mako explained. Korra’s smile quickly faded. She thought she’d heard the last of the Equalists, but it made sense to her why the Triple Threats would be dealing in that sort of stuff right now. After Kuvira and the recent Chi Eater killings, people were terrified – they’d probably pay good money for a little peace of mind.

“You mean like that one?” Bolin asked, pointing to a fruit stand not even a hundred feet away from them. The stand certainly looked to be legit at first glance, but the same couldn’t be said for the man standing behind it. He was a short, somewhat portly little man with a crooked pencil mustache, an unkempt goatee, and an ugly brown three piece suit. He was wearing a hat that was probably fancy thirty years ago. With a toothpick in his mouth and his hands sunk into his pockets, he watched potential customers come and go without saying a word.

Mako recognized his face almost immediately, having studied his mugshot earlier. That was Gonzo alright. “Good work, Bolin, looks like you found our man.” He  said, patting his brother on the back. “He’s all yours, Korra, but be careful. It looks like he’s got friends with him.” He warned, motioning with his head to the three men playing cards at a table nearby. Two Waterbenders and an Earthbender, judging by their clothes.

“Psh, who do you think I am?” Korra asked rather aggressively, pounding her fist into her hand. She could take them. But with as busy as it was out here, it would probably be a good idea to  _ avoid _ a fight, if at all possible. She supposed she’d have to dial it back a bit today. “Let’s go.” She said, walking ahead and motioning for the brothers to follow. 

Approaching the stand with confidence, Korra made no attempt to hide who she was. She wasn’t exactly somebody who could blend in even if she wanted to, anyway, especially with the triads. The fact that she had two uniformed officers behind her certainly wouldn’t do anything to ease their minds, either. So she thought it was better to show off a bit and make her presence clear in case any of them tried anything funny. To this end, she brazenly leaned over the fruit stand.

The man behind the stand lazily raised an eyebrow at the Water Tribe woman, who almost seemed to be flexing her muscles as she leaned over his fruit. She was staring him down with a serious look on her face. “...Summin I can help ya wit, miss?” He asked, seemingly oblivious as to who she was.

“I don’t know, you tell me.” Korra asked. The shopkeeper pursed his lips, thinking for a moment. He may not have recognized her, but the men at the table certainly did. Their game had come to an abrupt stop as soon as she and the brothers showed up, and all three looked ready to rise from their seat in a heartbeat. 

The man bent his head sideways, as if he was trying to look at her from another angle. “Ya know, ya look kinda familiar… did we date or summin before?” He asked. The disgusted and insulted look on her face said no. He shrugged. “Had ta ask. I’m not too great wit faces, but I do like me some Watah Tribe goils.”

“Yeah, no. Guess again. Gonzo, right?” Korra practically demanded. Pushing himself off the wall he had been leaning against, the man took a closer look at the girl’s eyes. …So that’s who she was. The Avatar. The man flashed a toothy grin, amused. Today had just gotten a lot more interesting… and in his opinion, better looking, too.

“Oho… I’d hoid da Avatar was back in town. Din’t expect ya ta come lookin for lil’ ol’ me, tho. What brings yous and yer uniformed associates to da Flats?” Gonzo asked, seductively leaning forward, flashing a smile with multiple gold teeth, prompting Korra to take a step back in disgust.

Mako and Bolin shared a look. Was this guy trying to hit on the Avatar? 

Korra quickly regained her menacing attitude. “…Yeah, well, I hear you and your pals have been stirring up a lot of trouble in Republic City since I’ve been gone. Maybe you  _ should _ have expected me.” She remarked, hoping to take back control of the situation. But Gonzo hadn’t stopped grinning. True to his reputation, he was as brave as he was clueless, looking her straight in the eye.

Korra continued. “Luckily for you, though, we’re here about something else today. I heard from my friends here that you saw what happened with those cops last night. I’d like you to tell me about it.” She explained, not that Gonzo was listening. He just kept staring and smiling. “I’d start talking, if I were you.” She warned coldly, moving into an Earthbending stance. But Gonzo remained unfazed, and in fact looked even more in control of things now.

“Oy, izzat a threat I’m detectin’? Not exactly da best way ta be gettin’ information outta a pospective witness, if ya ask me – not dat I don’t like ya whole tough goil act.” He replied. Korra scoffed. “But yeah, I might know a lil’ summin summin ‘bout dat… what’s it to ya? My information don’t exactly come fo free, y’see - ‘specially to da Avatar. Yer gonna have ta pay up foist.” He continued calmly, bringing his arm up to rest his head on his hand.

Korra’s worries were beginning to turn into frustration. This guy looked more amused by her threats than anything. She visibly tried to remain calm. “Oh, I’ll pay up alright…” Korra warned, clenching her fists and drawing closer. Gonzo’s friends by the table followed suit, prompting Mako and Bolin to warn Korra. They were now standing off to the side, watching.

Gonzo looked from Korra to his goons, then back at Korra. “Again wit da threats… if ya want da deets, ya gotta gimme da respect I desoive, foist. Othawise, Imma just close up shop n’ let my boys here handle ya while I mosey on off, y’dig?” Gonzo warned. “I wanna help ya, Avatar – really, I do! Some freaky stuff’s been goin’ down lately, n’ it took out one of our own. Got us mighty pissed, yeah? But I’m afraid I’d be sendin’ da wrong message to da boys if I let ya treat me like dis n’ still get what ya want.”

Korra looked over at the ‘boys’ in question. She could take them down easy, with or without the brothers’ help, she knew that for a fact. That wasn’t the issue. The issue was that they were in a crowded public place and if either side got too wild, somebody could get hurt. Not to mention, while she took care of his henchmen, Gonzo would run off and hide, just like he said. She stared stubbornly back in Gonzo’s direction. Most goons cracked the second they saw her, but this guy just seemed to be having fun with her.

She didn’t like it, but Korra had no choice but to play along, at least for now. She stepped back. “…Fine. What’s your price?” 

Gonzo’s grin grew. He seemed to have been expecting that. “Now dat’s more like it. If ya’d come here a lil’ more like dat, we coulda gotten down to business a lot soonah. A’ight den.What yer askin’ for puts me n’ ma boys in a pecarious situation, y’feel? So Imma need three things from ya.” The man put up three fingers and pointed to them as he listed his requests. 

“Foist of all – alla dis I’m about ta tell ya? Ya din’t hear it from me. Far as yous is concerned, I’m a reputable businessman n’ ma story’s gonna be treated as tho it came from such. Ain’t nonna dis gonna blow back on Gonzo. Secondly, ya buddies in blue back dere?” 

Mako looked as stern as ever while Bolin pointed to himself as if to ask ‘Who, me?’ 

“Dey’re gonna let me go da next time dey see me n’ catch me in a… how do you say… awkwoid situation. Toin da otha way n’ lemme skedaddle, just once, ok? N’ finally, as for you, Avatar… yer gonna call me ‘soir’ from now on, got it? Promise me dese three things n’ I’ll tell ya whateva it is ya wanna know.”

“I’m sorry,  _ what _ ?” Korra snapped. Mako immediately held Korra back before she pulled off Gonzo’s head, trying to calm her down.

“Korra! Remember what’s at stake, here. We need this information. It’s too important.” He reminded. Mako turned to the merchant. “You have a deal.” He confirmed, Bolin hesitantly nodding along. He didn’t like it, but he trusted his brother’s judgment. Korra, however, was far more reluctant.

“Well?” Gonzo pressed. “What about it, little lady?”

The Avatar grit her teeth. It felt wrong just thinking about it, and the smile on that slimy bastard’s face just made things worse. But as Mako nodded for her to play along for now, she realized she wasn’t being given much of a choice. This guy could be the only living witness to what the Chi Eater was and how it killed, aside from the old man from yesterday – and she really didn’t want to reopen that wound for him if she could help it. With a growl, and then an annoyed sigh, she relented, if only for now.

“ _ Fine _ . What happened last night, ‘sir’?” Korra asked with great bitterness. She wanted to maim this guy  _ so _ badly right now. Gonzo laughed rough, as though he’d eaten a bowl of broken glass in the morning, reveling in his power while he had it. 

“Heh heh… right, so, ya wanna know about da spirit, eh? Yeah, I saw it. Ya buddies in blue woire patrollin’ da streets more heavily den usual, so I knew summin was up. But Gonzo’s got a business ta run – I ain’t gonna go lettin’ no coppahs stop me from doin’ what I do. I just had ta lay low for a bit. But I was watchin’, waitin’, hopin’ dey’d move along when alla da sudden, dis big black…  _ thing _ comes dashin outta da shadows, and spirits was it angry.” Gonzo shuddered.

“It knocked ova summa ma moichandise while I ducked for covah, and da cops came walkin’ outta deir Satomobile all pissed n’ pissin’ demselves, y’know? Dey tried bendin’ and puttin’ up a fight, but da thing, it shrugged ‘em off like dey woire nuttin’. It was like dey woire hittin grape jelly or summin’, nuttin’ dey did fazed it.”

Korra looked back at Mako and Bolin, the three of them sharing a grave look. The description fit. 

“Den it screamed, and it made dis crazy-ass shockwave, yeah? Broke a lotta windows, knocked da cops down, destroyed whateva was left of ma moichandise. Nearly left me deaf, ta be honest wit ya. Dey got scared n’ ran back to da cruisah, and dey woire bookin’ it! Like, dayum! But dis thing, it like, toined into a blur, and it tore the cah in two! It took da cops, roughed ‘em up a bit like it was playin’ wit its food, and it pinned ‘em down. Next thing I know, there’s dis crazy light show and da cop was just dis… dis kinda raisin lookin’ thing on da ground. I still feel like I’m gonna be sick.” Gonzo frowned, pausing for an instant.

“It did da same thing to what was left of da othas and den ran off, back into da shadows in an Easterly direction, towoid da Bay. Den you guys swung by maybe 5 minuts latah, and dat old man started yappin’, so I took dat as my chance to mosey on out before ya’ll noticed me.” He concluded. “N’ dat’s all I know, promise.”

Korra and the brothers shared another look. Everything Gonzo said lined up perfectly with previous encounters she had had with dark spirits during Harmonic Convergence, only cranked up to 11. This thing was powerful if its scream alone was enough to do everything Gonzo said it had. Korra could feel her stomach tie itself up in knots again. Today just kept getting worse and worse. 

Korra conferred with the brothers as quietly as possible for a moment before she finally responded to the fence’s story.

“Thanks for all the help, ‘Gonzo’.” She said, putting especially bitter emphasis on the fact that she was avoiding his prefered title. Gonzo laughed again. He wouldn’t have expected anything less.

She’d had enough of this.

Shaking her head, Korra turned around as if to walk away, but immediately stopped after a single step. The expression on Mako and Bolin’s faces sunk. They knew what was coming next.

“Oh, and by the way…” She began, turning back around. “These two may be letting you go next time they catch you doing something, but  _ I  _ won’t.” She warned. “In fact, I’m not letting you go  _ now _ , either.”

Before anybody there could register what was going on and intervene – Mako and Bolin included – Korra had raised her leg high above her head, bringing it down in  a powerful Firebending-enhanced axe kick. She easily smashed the stand in two, crushing whatever  _ real _ merchandise may have been hiding under or inside of it in the process and catching Gonzo completely off guard.

“Woah!” He yelped, staggering back. The goons to his right quickly sprang into action as people yelled and turned to see what was going on, Mako and Bolin begrudgingly trying to keep them a safe distance away while Korra dealt with the gangsters.

When the two Waterbenders sent water whips in her direction, she was ready, taking hold of them once they were close enough. She’d wrestled control over their water away from them as if they’d never even had any to begin with, and before they could react, she’d retaliated. She sent the water back at their heads, freezing them in blocks of ice on contact before knocking both of them to the ground with a kick to their newly frozen heads.

Meanwhile, the earthbender stomped on the ground, bringing up a large chunk of earth and throwing it at Korra. It had about as much of an effect as the water had, however: Korra ran straight at the rock and then punched right through it, shattering it with her bending, her fist connecting with the Earthbender’s face immediately afterwards. As he fell backwards, she used a little Earthbending of her own, breaking his footing by shifting the earth beneath him and taking him down with a pillar of stone she raised from the ground to meet him.

In a matter of seconds, she’d destroyed Gonzo’s stand, ruined his merchandise, subdued his companions, and sent him running off into the crowd. But before he could finish peeling away, a powerful gust of wind sent him flying into a nearby shop, colliding with the boarded up windows with a loud thud. Though he was winded on impact, he laughed as he fell to the ground, getting onto his hands and knees and catching his breath.

“So disrespectful… but it’s good ta see our Avatar’s got a lil’ moxy.” Gonzo coughed, rising to his feet and dusting off his suit. His hat was gone and his toothpick, broken, but he still seemed largely unfazed.

“Oh, I’m full of a lot more than just moxy,” Korra warned, stomping towards him. At this point, Mako and Bolin intervened, each of them grabbing one of her arms.

“Korra, that’s enough.” Mako said. “We got what we needed and you got your payback. Now let’s get out of here before we cause even more of a scene.”

“Yeah, if this goes on any longer, somebody’s going to get hurt, and I don’t just mean you two.” Bolin warned.

Korra grit her teeth. She had a lot more stress she wanted to relieve on this guy, but… they were right. She should be better than this. She  _ was  _ better than this. “Fine.” She reluctantly replied, turning to walk away for real this time. “But if I ever see you again, you better hope you have stronger friends!” She called back to Gonzo.

“Pleasuh doin’ business wit ya, Avatar!” Gonzo called back, still catching his breath, waving goodbye as she stormed back to the cruiser flanked by Mako and Bolin.

As soon as they closed the doors, Korra sighed, slumping into the back seat with an annoyed look on her face. “I wish you guys would’ve let me rough him up a little more.” She complained.

“As fun as that would’ve been to watch, we should really get back to the Chief as soon as possible.” Mako replied.

“Yeah, what Mako said,” Bolin agreed. “We need to let her know what this spirit is capable of.”

Korra frowned. “I guess you’re right.” She just hated what that meant for the Avatar’s legacy. She still couldn’t figure out how her past lives could’ve let this thing get away unnoticed for so long. But the evidence spoke for itself. “I still feel like something’s off, though. Spirits don’t normally act like this. There  _ has _ to be something more.”

“Well, I guess we’ll find out soon enough.” Mako replied, starting the car. “Based on what Gonzo said, it sounds like it might finally be leaving the Flats and heading for the rest of the city. We have to let the Chief and President Raiko know and figure out what we do from here.”

“He said it was heading east, right? Toward Yue Bay?” Bolin asked. “The Pro Bending Arena’s over there… Air Temple Island, too.” He frowned.

Korra’s expression grew more serious. “We need to let Tenzin know as soon as possible. And as much as I hate to say it, we may want to cancel the premiere, too.”

“That’s not gonna happen. Lin told Raiko to cancel it this morning after we started putting the pieces together, but he won’t budge. He says it’s too important to the city and the people to cancel it, evil spirit or no evil spirit.” Mako replied with indignation. Every decision this guy made seemed to be the worst possible one, but he had no power to fight it.

“Ugh, figures. He told me earlier he wanted me there in case anything went down. Now I know why.” Korra groaned. She  _ really _ hated this guy. “At the very least, we should increase security for tonight. We should probably do a sweep in and around the arena to make sure it isn’t already there, too, just waiting for people to show up. If this thing was smart enough to hide from the Avatar for a thousand years, it could be smart enough to stage an ambush.” She reasoned.

“No worries, Korra – Lin, Mako and I are in charge of security tonight, and we know that place like the back of our hands. There’s no way that spirit’s getting near without one of us knowing. Come tonight, there won’t be a safer place in the entire city!” Bolin assured.

“She does make a good point that it could already be there, though. I’ll see if I can’t get the go ahead from Beifong to do a quick sweep of the place and start setting up security now. This way, we’ll know if it tries to show up anytime between now and the premiere.” Mako suggested. Korra nodded in agreement. It sounded like a good plan to her.

“So, if you’re going to the premiere too, does that mean Asami’s coming with you? Ooh, would that make this a date?!” Bolin asked, changing the topic to something lighter. “I hear the mover they’re showing is a romance… you two are just going to be making out the whole time, aren’t-” Before Bolin could finish, Korra smacked him in the back of the head. “Ow! Okay, okay, I get it, I’ll stop talking now…” He groaned, rubbing the back of his head.

Korra laughed while Mako just shook his head, shifting out of park and starting the drive back to the station.

 

*** *** *** *** *** ***

  
“ _ Today’s top story! Bending  _ **_more_ ** _ than just the elements? Avatar Korra and Future Industries’ Asami Sato are  _ **_Engaged_ ** _!!! During an impromptu press conference late yesterday afternoon, the returning Avatar Korra and her traveling companion, Asami Sato, were blindsided by a question from The Republican’s own Liu Shang, seemingly confirming what tabloids have speculated about for weeks! The Avatar and the CEO have indeed entered into a relationship, and it’s serious! What does this mean for the future of Republic City and Future Industries?” _

As per usual, the radio in the break room was played at full blast. Kuvira swore, as far as she was concerned, having to listen to this garbage day in, day out was a far greater punishment than anything the tribunal could ever conceive of. She would gladly take execution at this point – heck, she’d do it herself if they gave her the choice.  _ Anything _ but more Republic City sensationalism.

Still. Aside from the gossip of the guards stationed here to watch her, that radio of theirs was her only tangible connection to the outside world. While she appreciated being able to remain somewhat aware of what was going on outside of her cage, there were days she wished she were strong enough to bend whatever little metal was inside that thing out of it and destroy it.

But she wasn’t.

They made sure to keep her weak – barely fed, barely sheltered, barely tended to in  _ any _ major capacity. She’d essentially been left out here to rot with an audience until the tribunal stopped dragging its feet and passed down the death penalty already. Everybody was expecting it by this point, herself included. Zaheer may have gotten off at the behest of both Tenzin  _ and _ the Avatar, but with Kuvira, the political machine was already in motion. She knew it was just a matter of time now.

Kuvira felt as if she’d had this train of thought before.

Days and nights blended together out here. It was easy to lose track of time, thoughts, perspective. As her latest trial date drew closer and closer, she wondered if Korra was really going to be taking part or not. She wondered if maybe she’d come pay her a visit sometime. The way they’d left things back in the spirit world, it almost seemed as though Korra  _ got it _ . 

Kuvira wondered, would Korra be abandoning her too? Would she come try and play ‘friend’ instead? Would she try to persuade her to change? Would she stand by and let them kill her?

Would Kuvira let her stop them if they tried?

While she entertained many possibilities, she was pretty confident the Avatar would try to spare her life. What she wasn’t so confident of was whether or not she  _ wanted _ to be spared anymore. Realistically, what did she have left to live for? To work toward? Her empire was gone, her fiance was gone, her home was gone, the only one even remotely close to a mother to her was gone – she’d lost everything, already. There was nothing left.

If she was anything like Aang, Korra would probably deliver some sort of cheesy speech about how forgiveness and non-violence were important, and how acceptance was the first step on the road to recovery, and how Kuvira should be allowed to atone for her crimes, but… why should she even bother? She had nothing left to live for. They’d never let her out of prison, even if they let her live. So what would be the point?

Kuvira half-closed her eyes, looking down as she sat there in the center of her cell. Her arms were around her knees and her face half buried beneath them, looking out over the ocean. She wondered if any of what she’d done had really been worth it. She’d thought about that a lot since surrendering. How much of what she accomplished was worth the pain she’d gone through to accomplish it? Had she ever even actually accomplished anything? The Earth Kingdom wasn’t even going to be a Kingdom anymore.

What was she even trying to prove before? That she could be the Avatar, too? That she could be like Su? That she could bring peace and balance through force?

All she’d proven was that she was a fool.

The radio changed stories and the guards talked amongst themselves as though she wasn’t even there. They were talking now about that mover premiere tonight, lamenting how they wouldn’t be able to attend because of Kuvira. One more thing to blame her for, she supposed. But they also talked about the bodies that’d been showing up in what they were now calling the ‘Chi Eater’ case. Someone on the force had apparently let it slip.

Kuvira shook her head. First day back in the city and Korra already had to clean up another mess. She couldn’t help but wonder if she was somehow responsible for this one, too. Had her weapon angered the spirits? Would this mean Korra would be too busy to take part in her trial? How much could the Avatar balance at once, and how much would it matter to her if she just completely forgot about Kuvira? Would she mind?

After all, everybody else already had. If Korra forgot her too, she’d understand. That’d be okay. She’d already resigned herself to her fate anyway. She just wished they’d hurry up and get on with it already.

She wondered if maybe they were just trying to make her suffer. If they wanted to drive her insane by leaving her out here with her thoughts for so long. If they did, it was working. This was not the kind of life she felt herself fit to lead. Maybe it’d suit a mad monk like Zaheer, but her? An empress was a social creature. She’d rather die a dog than live alone with nothing but her thoughts and airhead guards to accompany her.

But…

If Korra didn’t forget.

If Korra did come back for her, and did take part in her trial. If Korra had remembered her.

Kuvira knew what she’d want to say to her now, if she ever got the chance. She just wondered if she would, and if she did, if it’d matter.

“I’m sorry.”

She whispered it beneath her breath, broken, drawing the attention of no one. If she shouted it at the top of her lungs and from the highest mountaintop, still no one would hear her, but still, it would be no less sincere. But maybe sometimes words just didn’t cut it anymore. ‘Sorry’… what did it matter? Her damage was done.

If she really wanted to apologize, she should just let them kill her. Her will had broken weeks ago. She was done fighting. Done hoping. Whether or not Korra intervened now was irrelevant to her. She’d made up her mind what she wanted.

All she had left to do now was wait.


	7. Into the Wilds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the rest of Republic City prepares for the upcoming mover premiere, Korra and company prepare for a confrontation with the Chi Eater, whose latest target may be Air Temple Island! Lacking the answers she feels she needs, Korra relies on her more spiritual side to try to uncover some clues about their otherworldly foe and resolves herself to enter into the Spirit Wilds.

**Book Five  
** Chi  
  
Chapter Seven  
Into the Wilds  
  


“You’re sure he said it was heading east?” Tenzin worriedly asked to confirm. 

Korra gave a solemn nod in response. The Airbender cursed loudly, making loose papers in the Chief of Police’s office swirl around him in an angry puff of air. Everything they knew told them the Chi Eater targeted benders specifically, and Air Temple Island had one of the highest concentration of benders in the city. 

“Maybe you should recall the Airbenders from around the city, get them all up to speed. I think it may be best you all head for one of the other Air Temples.” Mako suggested. But Tenzin shook his head vigorously.

“No, Republic City needs our help now more than ever. I’m not going to call everybody back so long as we’re still able to do some good out there.” Tenzin affirmed. “Even with the help from Zaofu, the Republic’s resources are spread too thin for us to pull out safely. I am going to warn them and evacuate Air Temple Island, but I believe the best way for the Air Nation to avoid the Chi Eater’s detection is to do as we’ve been doing and scatter ourselves to the winds.”

Tenzin leveled a look in Lin’s direction. His eyes were tired, but there was fire behind them – if he was no longer needed here, then he had to go alert his people. The Chief nodded. She had no further use for him here. So, Tenzin left in a gust of wind, but not before Korra caught him in a hug on his way out.

“I’ll put a stop to this thing before it gets anywhere near the Temple. I promise.” Korra assured. Tenzin smiled weakly and then left the room.

“So, Avatar,” Lin began, left alone with Korra and the brothers upon Tenzin’s exit. “What’s the battle plan?”

Korra pondered. “I’m… not entirely sure, to be honest. Fighting a dark spirit isn’t anything like fighting a bender. Most attacks won’t faze them and they aren’t completely tangible; they can walk through walls, destroy machines from the inside-out, possess humans. Incredible speed and strength. Vaatu could even turn his chi into a weapon just like Kuvira’s cannon.” Korra explained in brief.

“Sounds like a pretty one-sided fight, if you ask me.” Lin remarked, having never fought a spirit herself.

“It… kind of is.” Mako admitted with some disappointment, rubbing the back of his neck.

“But doesn’t mean it can’t be stopped,” Korra encouraged. “If some of us can distract it for long enough  _ and _ we can manage to keep it contained, then I should be able to purify it of whatever’s causing it to act like this and get rid of it for good.”

“Like what you did to that giant Unavaatu monster?” Bolin asked.

“Exactly like that, yeah.” Korra confirmed.

Lin crossed her arms. “I don’t know that I like a plan that hinges entirely on the word ‘should’. There’s a lot of things this spirit ‘should’ be but isn’t. If you want me to send more of my men up against this thing, then you better have a backup plan in case your spiritual mumbo jumbo doesn’t cut it.” She warned.

Korra fell silent. She understood Lin’s misgivings, but the alternative was not only more of a gamble, it was also an option she wasn’t altogether comfortable with. “…If that doesn’t work…” Korra started, but neglected to finish, continuing to mull things over a bit in her head first. Given the way this thing avoided her past lives and never made any demands in any of the accounts they’d collected, she got the feeling she wouldn’t be able to convince it to stop. She also doubted there was any way she could contain it indefinitely. Which meant her only other option was… 

“…If that doesn’t work, it’s risky, but if I enter the Avatar State and get help from Raava, then it  _ might _ be possible for me to destroy it. Forever.” Or, so Korra theorized. To her knowledge, it had never been done before. But if purification didn’t work, then it was her only hope. Spirits didn’t seem very threatened by humans, but since the Avatar was practically half-spirit…

Grave looks adorned the brothers’ faces while Lin stared Korra down straight-on, calculating. “…Very well.” The Chief finally replied, satisfied enough by Korra’s answer. “More important than a last resort is the resolve to go through with it if push comes to shove. I trust you.” Korra only nodded.

“We’ll assemble a team of our strongest benders with you at its core and start scouring the city for this thing immediately. Once we find it, we’ll bring it down.  _ Hard _ .” Lin announced, finally uncrossing her arms so she could go give the command. But Mako stopped her.

“Actually, Chief, we think it might be a better idea to just focus on the arena, instead.” He interjected, causing Lin to stop and look over at her star detective. “Given the level of strategy this thing has demonstrated in the past, we think it’s possible that it might know about the premiere tonight and could be planning an ambush. I find it weird that it’d stay in Dragon Flats all this time only to run off toward the bay the night before such a big event.”

“That’s all the more reason to hunt this thing down  _ now _ , if you ask me.” Lin replied, putting her hands on her hips and standing firm in her position. “If we can stop it before the premiere, then there’s nothing more for us to worry about.”

“Maybe, but, what if we can’t find it?” Bolin asked. When Lin looked in his direction, he shivered, but continued. “I-I mean, this thing is smart, and it’s had a good day’s head start on us, right? What if it’s already there, at the arena, lying in wait like a tigerdillo in the grass, scanning the plains for its next meal?” This gave Lin some pause.

“Bolin’s right.” Mako agreed. “Maybe we can find it in the city, but I don’t think that’s a risk we can take right now. If we go to the arena though, Korra can do a sweep of the place and see if she can’t sense anything out of the ordinary.”

Lin raised an eyebrow, looking now at Korra. “Can you do that?”

Korra nodded confidently. “Yeah – if there’s anything spiritual hiding out there, I’ll know.”

“Hmm...” Lin closed her eyes. She had to admit, this all made sense, but at the same time, she didn’t like the idea of a murderous spirit potentially being out there in her city. It was a risk either way. The question was just which one was worth taking.

While Lin thought, Mako continued. “While Korra searches the arena and we fortify security, you can issue an APB and increase patrols in the areas closest to Yue Bay and East Dragon Flats. This way, we can cover all of our bases and–”

“Absolutely not.” Lin interrupted, catching Mako off guard. “The last time I sent my officers after this thing, they were killed. I am  _ not _ sending anyone into the line of fire without backup from myself and the Avatar.” At this, Korra’s look softened some. She understood.

“We can’t do it all alone. I agree with Mako. I think this might be our best plan of attack right now.” She confirmed, giving Lin a sympathetic look. She knew that Lin didn’t want to be responsible for any more deaths, but also knew that this was what her officers had signed up for. 

Inhaling deeply, Lin resolved herself. She’d take their advice. “Fine. I’ll put out an APB and make it clear that officers are to report, not engage. In the meantime, the four of us will heighten security for tonight’s premiere.” She decided, formally issuing the order. “You three go on ahead while I set up the APB and gather some more Metalbenders. By tonight, we’re going to make that arena the single safest place in this city.”

“Yes ma’am!” Mako and Bolin said once again in unison. Korra just nodded in agreement. Now all they had to do was make that statement into a reality.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
Not long after, on Air Temple Island, Tenzin stood in front of a gathering of Airbenders and acolytes alike. Nearly everybody on the island had been called into attendance from the looks of things, with his family and Kai situated at the front of the crowd. The air was heavy with fear and anxiety as he spoke, warning them of the Chi Eater and the threat that it posed. Standing at the front with Tenzin’s family, Kai held onto Jinora’s hand as her father spoke.

“According to Avatar Korra, it was last seen heading toward Yue Bay. The city is concerned it may be targeting the arena, but given that the Chi Eater solely attacks benders, I believe it’s possible that it’s targeting us. As such, I’m putting the island on high alert, and will be informing all of the Airbenders in the city to report any unusual spirit activity to either myself or Avatar Korra.” Tenzin explained.

Sitting in the front row, Bumi was giving Bum-Ju a look of concern. The small rabbit spirit floating over his shoulder had been chirping something in a language only Bumi understood throughout the entirety of Tenzin’s explanation. 

Jinora, on the other hand, looked more frustrated than anything. “And you guys think a  _ spirit _ is behind all of this?” She asked, almost accusingly. “Sure, they don’t really like humans much, but they don’t just attack people unprovoked like that.” 

“Avatar Korra voiced the same concerns, but there’s simply nothing else that it could be.” Tenzin replied, sadness in his voice. “What the eyewitness described sounded exactly like a dark spirit, and given how old it is, it’s not possible that it’s a human, or any other living creature. All of Vaatu’s dark spirits are gone, so either it was corrupted by a human sometime long ago, or it’s fully aware of what it’s doing and is acting of its own volition.” And he wasn’t sure which option was worse.

But Jinora remained unconvinced. “There’s no way a spirit would do something like this on its own; and if it’s been corrupted for this long, then shouldn’t it have destroyed itself by now?”

“What do you mean?” Tenzin asked, confused.

“Spirits are mostly made up of chi and spiritual energy, right? If it were really left out of balance for  _ this _ long, it should’ve become more and more unstable until it evaporated. That’s basically what Unalaq was doing when he threatened to destroy my soul.”

Tenzin wasn’t really sure how to respond. If Jinora was right, then that was just one more mystery for them to solve. “Well, clearly, it’s found some way to stay intact.” He surmised. “Perhaps by incorporating the energy of others into itself to correct for the imbalance. This could explain why it devours people’s chi.”

Jinora frowned. She couldn’t rule it out, but the thought of it left her uneasy. Something about her father’s story just didn’t track. Sensing her frustration, Kai placed a hand on Jinora’s shoulder, pulling her attention away as her father answered other questions and concerns.

“Try not to worry too much about it. This sort of thing is the Avatar’s job, right? I’m sure Korra’s thinking the same thing as you; she’s got this covered.” He smiled, hoping to ease her mind. 

“I know that, I just… I feel like this is partly  _ my _ responsibility, too. I’ve always been close to the spirits, and this just isn’t like them at all. Maybe I should do some investigating of my own when this assembly is over.” Jinora replied, looking over at her boyfriend. She looked almost guilty. Kai just rubbed her shoulder, unsure of what else to say, but so long as she wasn’t putting herself in harm’s way, he could promise her he’d be there to help her out however he could.

Two seats to her left, Bum-Ju’s chirping had escalated to whisper-fighting with Bumi. They were trying to stay quiet enough that they didn’t interrupt anything, but as the argument grew more heated, their voices grew louder – enough so that, eventually, even Tenzin took notice.

“Does Bum-Ju know anything about what’s going on?” He asked hopefully, stealing his brother’s attention from the small spirit on his shoulder.

“Nope, sorry. Bum-Ju says he’s never heard of this ‘Chi Eater’ before.” Bumi responded with a shrug. Tenzin’s expression sunk. “He does seem to be awfully worried about it, though. He says that if this thing can eat people’s chi like you said, then it can eat other spirits, too.” He explained.

“That would certainly explain why they deserted Dragon Flats...” Tenzin thought aloud, stroking his beard. He should let Korra know about this as soon as he could, assuming she didn’t already know.

“But if this thing’s a spirit, how could Bum-Ju not know about it?” Ikki asked, confused. “I mean, wouldn’t the spirits talk to each other about this sort of thing?”

Bumi shrugged. “How am I supposed to know? It’s not like I can read Bum-Ju’s mind or anything.”

Jinora, however, seemed to have an idea as to why. “Bum-Ju’s a young spirit and spent most of his time in the physical world playing with the other dragonfly bunnies at the Eastern Air Temple, so he probably doesn’t know all that much about something so old.” She explained.

Ikki tilted her head, bewildered by the thought that spirits could be ‘young’. “I thought spirits have always existed though?” She asked. Jinora shook her head.

“Not all of them, no. It’s not like  _ all _ spirits have been around for thousands of years.” She laughed, causing Ikki to harumph in frustration. It was a serious question! “If this thing is as old as dad claims though,  _ and _ it can eat other spirits, then there’s no way the spirits don’t know about it by now. But since he’s so young and spends so much of his time time in our world, Bum-Ju might not have heard of it yet.” Jinora ended with a shrug.

Ikki stretched over her sister’s shoulder to look at her uncle and ask if that were true, but he was already back to bickering with Bum-Ju. Chances were he wasn’t even paying attention anymore. It quickly became apparent why.

“What do you mean you’re leaving the city?!” Bumi asked loudly, redirecting all attention back on himself. “You don’t think it’s safe here anymore? So, what, you’re just going to run away again?” His expression sunk further as Bum-Ju chirped a response, the retired commander crossing his arms. “You should put more faith in the Avatar, she took care of that giant metal monster two weeks ago, and she’ll take care of this thing, too!”

With one last exasperated chirp, Bum-Ju disappeared, crossing back into the spirit world and leaving Bumi behind, effectively ending the argument then and there. With all eyes still on him, he quickly began to feel uncomfortable. “…What are you all looking at?” He asked in frustration. “Bum-Ju may be a coward, but I’m not! I’ll take this Chi Eater on, mano-a-mano!” He declared.

“Yeah, mano-a-mano!” Meelo repeated, jumping up from his seat before a glare from Pema had him sitting back down.

“…Actually, I think Bum-Ju may be on the right track with this one.” Tenzin frowned, addressing not only his brother, but everybody else gathered, as well. “There’s no way we could win against an enraged spirit, even if we all went at it at once. The best thing we can do right now is scatter ourselves and make it harder for the Chi Eater to find us, and… that means abandoning the island until it’s taken care of. Perhaps we can even use this time to double down on relief efforts around the city.”

The Airbenders and acolytes immediately began to murmur and argue among themselves. While most of them agreed with Tenzin and were already considering places in the city they could hide or help out, there were still some among them who wondered if maybe it’d be better to go down fighting than turn tail and run. Bumi found himself part of this latter crowd.

“If this thing’s as dangerous as you say, then we should fortify our defenses and fight back!” Bumi declared. “I say  _ let _ the Chi Eater come, there haven’t been this many Airbenders around in a long time. We can take it!”

Tenzin sighed, placing his hand to his forehead, his thumb and index finger massaging his temples. Bumi always had to make things so difficult – that way of thinking was just going to get them all killed. He was getting ready to argue with his brother when another voice interrupted him.  

“I dunno, running away sounds like a pretty good strategy to me. Heck, it’s my  _ favorite _ strategy!” Came a voice, loud and brash and foreign to almost everybody gathered. Tenzin was not counted among that crowd – he knew exactly who that voice belonged to, and it threatened to make this day a hundred times worse.

“Varrick? What are you doing here!?” Tenzin asked. At least his sudden interruption had brought the murmuring and arguing to a halt.

There, standing up in one of the last few rows of the otherwise seated crowd, the billionaire in question flashed his signature smile and made his way through the crowd. As per usual, his wife wasn’t very far behind. While Varrick awkwardly pushed and stepped his way through the crowd in a steady oscillation of ‘Excuse me’ and ‘Pardon me’, Zhu Li opted to simply walk around them.

Reaching the front of the crowd, he eagerly grabbed and then shook Tenzin’s hand before slipping  his arm around his shoulder. 

“Sorry about that, I actually came here to talk business, but as soon as I arrived you called this meeting, so I figured I’d sit in. Word of advice though, you  _ really _ need to spice up your storytelling – even when it’s interesting, terrifying, and a hundred percent true, you  _ still _ somehow manage to make it boring.” Varrick half-whispered, addressing Tenzin before addressing the crowd. He was waving at everybody all-the-while, as if he expected them all to know who he was. A lot of them didn’t.

“I’ll take that under advisement.” Tenzin responded sarcastically. Letting go of Tenzin and subtly pushing him out of the way, Varrick gladly made himself the center of attention, moving to address the crowd.

“Anyway, as I was saying! Given everything we just heard, running away actually sounds like a  _ great _ idea! You don’t become as rich and successful as I am by stubbornly fighting for every lost cause of an idea you have, you know – some fights just can’t be won! That’s why you’ve gotta know when to cut your losses and  _ vamoose _ before you end up next in line at the buffet table for some hungry spirit. You know, proverbially speaking and all.” Varrick colorfully described, as animated a speaker as ever.

“Now, I don’t know why this ‘Cheater’ thing wants to go around using its spirit powers to suck out people’s souls or whatever, but if you ask me, throwing a whole bunch of Airbenders on some dinky little rock in the middle of a bay with no quick and easy means of escape  _ or _ rescue is just  _ begging _ for trouble. You’re all better letting this one go and becoming one with the wind or whatever it is you guys do; whatever you can to get the heck outta here!”

While he was a little upset by the intrusion, Tenzin was a little stunned, as well. He certainly wasn’t expecting to be backed up by  _ Varrick _ of all people. But that was all part of the Varrick experience – nobody expected him. It was something that seemed to work to his advantage every time, and thankfully, this time was no different. Already, there was far less debate amongst the island’s inhabitants. 

But, of course, not everybody was so readily convinced – Bumi chief amongst them.

“Oh please, I didn’t become Commander of the United Forces’ 2 nd Division by giving up whenever the going got a little tough! Why, I remember there was this one time when me and my men were outnumbered 6 to 1 and our ship had just suffered a catastrophic blow. We were taking on water fast and things seemed completely hopeless, but even still, we–” 

Aaand nobody was listening to him anymore. Bumi sighed loudly in resignation, sitting back down. “Oh, why do I even bother?” He asked nobody in particular.

“I still think we should stay and fight, Uncle Bumi.” Meelo consoled, not that it had much effect. The two of them couldn’t mount much of a resistance on their own.

“Sorry kiddo, looks like we’re gonna be going for the typical Airbender ‘avoid and evade’ strategy this time.” He replied. 

With the crowd now swayed back in his favor, Tenzin asked for everyone’s attention and tasked Jinora, Kai and a few others with reassigning every bender there and coming up with accommodations off-island for the acolytes. Then, with all of that taken care of, he walked over to Varrick. 

“Not that I don’t appreciate the help, but  _ why _ are you here?” Tenzin asked.

“That would be because of me, Master Tenzin,” Zhu Li apologized in her husband’s stead, bowing once before continuing. “My husband and I wanted to invite you and your family to a mover premiere tonight, and I thought it would be better if we did it in-person. But, given the circumstances, it appears we may have come at a bad time…”

“Nonsense, this was  _ perfect _ timing!” Varrick chimed. “Tenzin needed a vote of confidence and he’s basically telling everybody else to skedaddle anyway, so he may as well take his own advice and live a little for once, eh?” He asked, lightly elbowing Tenzin as he spoke. The Airbender swatted Varrick’s arm away. “I’ve already invited Lin, Suyin, Raiko, Korra, Asami, Mako, Bolin… heck, I even got  _ Ravi _ to agree to show up, and he’s almost as much of a stick in the mud as you are!”

“Mm.” Tenzin hummed, a little unsure what to make of Varrick’s remarks. He just wouldn’t bother addressing them. He turned to Zhu Li, instead. “I appreciate the offer, but as you just said, now isn’t really the best time. You heard what I said about the Chi Eater, right? That premiere should’ve been canceled hours ago, if you ask me.”

Varrick interrupted. “Are you kidding? After all the time and hype the city’s sunk into this thing? They wouldn’t cancel that premiere if Kuvira came back with a giant mecha suit twice as big as the last one!” Varrick declared. “Besides, this city could use a night like this right now! And if that Cheater thing really is attracted to crowds like you say, then the more powerful benders I have around Zhu Li and I, the better!” Zhu Li glared at him after that, causing him to release a nervous laugh and apologize before continuing.

“…Anyway, as it stands, I’ve already got a family of Metalbenders, a Lavabender, a Lightningbender, one heck of an Earthbender, and the freakin’  _ Avatar _ with me – why not add a family of Airbenders, too, eh? I’ve got a pretty big balcony to fill! And hey, think of it this way – if that thing  _ does _ show up, it’ll be signing its own death warrant. There’s no way it can take us all on, spirit or no spirit. And if it doesn’t? You get a night on the town with your family and a chance to relax. It’s a win-win situation, no?”

Tenzin looked back at the crowd of airbenders. Varrick may have had a point. If everybody else was going to be asked to leave the island and help out around the city, why should he be any different? The security team could always use a little extra backup. And besides, his kids had been bugging him to take them to a mover for ages now.

“Well… maybe. If we can get the word out to the benders in the city and get this island evacuated in time, I suppose I might be able to swing by…” Tenzin thought aloud, stroking his beard.

It was about as close to a ‘yes’ as Varrick was going to get; he’d take it! He was joined in his cheering by Ikki and Meelo, who were now standing in front of Tenzin with smiles on their faces. Apparently they’d overheard enough of the conversation to have excited themselves over the prospect of  _ finally _ being able to see a mover.

“Do you really mean it, daddy? Are we really going?” Ikki asked, practically hopping up and down by this point. Meelo didn’t look much different. Tenzin sighed, smiling. How could he say no to that?

“If we can get everything taken care of in time, then yes – we can go.” He confirmed. Ikki squealed in celebration, leaping a few feet into the air. While not as energetic as his older sister, Meelo couldn’t help but smile, too, practically vibrating with excitement.

“Great! I’ll see you there!” Varrick exclaimed. With that, he’d acquired the full set – everybody who was anybody in Republic City. Now all he had to do was hope they all actually showed up to the premiere and he would be golden. “Zhu Li, let’s go! I’ve got some callouses to take care of and a new suit to pick up before I step anywhere  _ near _ an event as public as this one!”

“You’re taking care of your own callouses, this time,  _ dear _ .” Zhu Li reminded as the two of them began the walk back to their yacht.

“Yes, yes, I know; we’ve got no time to lose!” He replied, dashing off ahead and leaving his wife behind him. Sighing, she gave Tenzin and the kids a formal goodbye and then followed after her husband.

“Jinora, Jinora, we’re going to see the mover tonight!!!” Ikki announced, briefly pulling her and Kai away from her reassignment duties to share the good news.

“What, really?!” She asked, looking over to her dad for confirmation. He nodded once in response. “Yes, I  _ loved _ the book!” She exclaimed. “Can Kai come with us too?” Before Tenzin could get a chance to respond, though, Pema beat him to it.

“Of course, dear; Kai is always welcome to join us.” She affirmed, Jinora’s smile growing wider as she pulled her boyfriend into a hug. The Chi Eater was alarming, but at least there was this to look forward to.

“Well, you guys enjoy your mover, I’m gonna stay back and hold down the fort while you’re gone. Even if all the other Airbenders leave,  _ somebody _ has to look after the place and make sure it doesn’t spontaneously sink into the sea, right? Besides, I don’t much like movers myself.” Bumi replied, cracking his back as he finally stood back up.

“Aw, come on, Uncle Bumi!” Meelo begged. 

“Are you sure? I know you’d rather stay and fight, but it would be nice to have you with us. Besides, I’m not sure I like the idea of you having the entire island to yourself...” Tenzin worried. Bumi shrugged, reasserting his position.

“Like I said, movers aren’t for me. You guys go enjoy your night on the town, I’ll find something else to do to occupy my time.” Like setting up a bunch of booby traps and fortifying the island’s defenses himself, for example. Not that he’d ever tell Tenzin that. His younger brother sighed.

“Well, if you really want to stay behind, then I won’t stop you;  _ one _ Airbender probably isn’t enough to draw this thing’s attention. Just… try not to break anything while we’re away. Or burn anything. In fact, just try to touch as little as possible. Please.” Tenzin begged, Bumi squinting his eyes in half-offense.

“You need to stop being such a worrywart, I’ll be fine. Besides, didn’t you say we had an evacuation to manage? Let’s stop wasting time and get you guys to that mover!” Bumi exclaimed. Even if he wasn’t the biggest fan of cutting and running, he wasn’t going to leave his brother and the kids to manage the whole thing alone. Besides, he’d still be getting his way in the end, in a sense, even if Tenzin hadn’t realized it yet. But he’d thank him later for it – of that much, Bumi was sure.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
“Well? Can you feel anything?” Bolin asked, Korra’s brow twitching in response.

“Look, Bolin, I get that you’re a little impatient, but if you ask me that again, I’m going to hit you.” She warned, opening one eye only to glare in his direction. A worried expression splashed across his face and he gave a thumbs up and a nervous smile, meekly backing away and letting Korra return to her meditation.

After arriving at the arena, Korra, Lin, and the brothers split off into groups and began putting their plan into action. While Lin and Mako broke off to lead the Metalbenders through the building in what was simultaneously a thorough search and fortification protocol, Korra had been paired with Bolin in her less physical search for the Chi Eater. They’d settled in the middle of the ring, Bolin aimlessly wandering around the platform bothering workers while Korra focused on her task. She hoped that by meditating, she would be able to sense its spiritual presence if it was anywhere nearby.

It wasn’t something that’d work over a very long range, but she should be able to feel anything spiritual in or immediately around the arena. After spending as long in the spirit world as she had, and the incident in Dragon Flats, she felt she had enough of an idea of what a spirit’s presence would feel like, especially this one. 

Of course, this was something that required an intense amount of focus, which in return required some peace and quiet, but that was easier said than done with Bolin around. Thankfully, her most recent threat seemed to have sunk in and Bolin had fallen quiet, enough that she could finally focus. Inhaling deeply, she blocked out the ambient noise of construction crews and entered into a meditative state.

Gradually, she became aware of each and every person in and around the arena and where they were, surprising herself with how easily she took to this. From Mako and Lin a few halls down, to the Metalbenders they were managing, to the workers setting up the projectors for the premiere – everything she felt was perfectly human.

Unless the Chi Eater was somehow able to mask its presence from the Avatar, she was beginning to think this place was clean. Nevertheless, she took her time, going over the building a few more times to ensure she hadn’t missed anything. But it was exactly as the first sweep had indicated – it was clean. Except…

“…Somebody’s coming, somebody I don’t recognize.” She warned Bolin after a solid five minutes of silence. He jumped at the sound of her voice, having gotten used to the quiet. Her announcement didn’t put him anymore at ease, though. Was it the Chi Eater? Triad thugs? Some new cop? “Don’t worry, though, they’re perfectly human.” Korra clarified, sensing Bolin’s unease. The rookie let loose a sigh of relief.

Now he was  _ really _ curious, though – whose presence had she sensed? Thankfully it wouldn’t take long for him to find out, the platform at the end of the blue and red Pro Bending ring coming alive. Korra calmly stood up from her previously seated position, turning around to face their guest. She seemed far less concerned than Bolin was, carelessly leaning on one leg and putting a hand on her hips as she waited for the new arrival.

With the platform reaching the edge of the ring now, Korra and Bolin found themselves face-to-face with a tall, fair-skinned man with bright blue hair – an avid user of Varrick’s patented Varri-dye, no doubt. His clothes were simple, but expensive looking, and the sleeves of his shirt had been rolled up. There was an untied bowtie draped lazily around his neck, and his hands were sunk into his pockets as he approached.

Scanning the ring from end to end, he seemed to be checking that everybody was working when somebody sitting in the center caught his eye. “…? Oh my, is that the Avatar?” He asked, his face lighting up as soon as he saw Korra. At this point, he was close enough for her to hear him. “My, I didn’t expect to see you here  _ this _ early!” He exclaimed, hopping from the platform to the ring before the two connected, a wide smile on his face.

Korra raised an eyebrow. “And you are?” 

The man tilted his head at that, pointing to himself to ensure she was addressing him. It was then that he realized he’d completely neglected to introduce himself.

“Oh, I’m sorry, how rude of me,” The man apologized, bowing before extending a hand for Korra to shake. “My name’s Ryuuki, Ryuuki Ayatsurishi; I guess I’m the guy all the fuss here is about.” He laughed, seemingly a little nervous. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Avatar Korra. It’s nice to finally meet you face-to-face.”

Wait, Ryuuki? Looking over at Bolin, it was now that Korra realized he was standing frozen in shock. She knew how much he loved movers and their stars, so he probably idolized this guy, but this seemed a little much. She shook her head and turned back to the actor. Her question answered, Korra gave a welcoming smile, accepting Ryuuki’s invitation and shaking his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, too. I’d heard the mover’s star would be at the premiere, but I didn’t expect to run into you so early… I’ve heard good things about the book it’s based on, though. I’m looking forward to seeing it.”

Ryuuki laughed. “And I hope you enjoy it! But I usually swing by early and help the crew set up for my premieres. There aren’t too many places dedicated solely to showing movers yet, so usually we have to pick a big location like this and outfit it ourselves. It can be pretty complicated though, so I like to help out however I can.” He explained, his earlier smile sustaining. “I’d heard from Varrick that you’d be attending tonight’s event with your fiancee? Is Ms. Sato here, too?”

Fiancee? Korra looked a little taken aback, her mouth hanging open as she struggled to come up with a reply. So the papers had already turned hers and Asami’s betrothal into the next big story then. If that were the case, then she imagined  _ everybody _ knew by this point. 

“O-Oh, well, I’m actually here on official Avatar business, so I’m afraid not,” She replied, coming up with a believable excuse as she did. “Well, kind of, anyway. Chief Beifong wanted me to help her police force set up security for tonight’s event since there’s been so much Triad activity lately. We’ve been sweeping the place just in case and setting up early, and she thought I might be able to scare off any troublemakers who may be watching.” Korra wasn’t  _ entirely _ lying, but she wasn’t about to go telling anybody and everybody about the whole Chi Eater mess, either. At least not yet. She didn’t want to start a panic.

“Oh? Well, I feel safer already!” Ryuuki exclaimed, putting his hands on his hips. “It’s nice to see the Avatar taking such a keen interest in these sorts of things, especially so soon after her vacation. I’d heard people say you’d probably ease yourself back into things slowly now that you could, but I guess that’s not your style, huh?”

Korra crossed her arms, grinning. “Not really, no.” Ryuuki laughed, leaning a bit to his right to peer over Korra’s shoulder at the entranced cop behind her. Once again, he tilted his head. 

“…Is that Bolin? As in, “Nuktuk: Hero of the South” Bolin?” He asked, pointing at the officer who looked about ready to faint after hearing that the star knew his name. Ryuuki’s smile grew wider. Seemed Bolin wasn’t the only one feeling a little starstruck right now, though Ryuuki seemed to be far more composed than ‘Nuktuk’ was.

The question was enough to snap Bolin out of his trance. The former actor blinked  and then raised his hands limply toward himself as if to ask for confirmation that he was the one Ryuuki was asking about. The blue-haired man nodded, a wide smile on his face, and Bolin nearly fell over. Korra laughed. She tended to forget Bolin was kind of a big deal in the mover scene.

“O-Oh, yeah! Yeah, I am! I am Bolin. I am  _ that _ Bolin. I was Nuktuk.” He stumbled, clearly a little intimidated. Korra shook her head. She guessed even Bolin could be starstruck. Ryuuki seemed to be confused, though, wondering why his peer was acting like this. 

“S-Sorry, I’m just… dude, I’ve seen all your movers. “Tales from Ba Sing Se”, “Amber Dawn”, “The Candle in the Dark”, “The Brawler” – you’re amazing! Varrick was right when he said that movers could be more than Nuktuk, and you’ve kinda proved it.” Bolin explained, still in the middle of a fanboy meltdown. 

Korra and Ryuuki both laughed, the man with blue hair shaking his head.

“Please, I wouldn’t be anywhere that I am now if it weren’t for you. ‘Nuktuk’ laid the groundwork for this – all of this.” Ryuuki pointed out, spreading his arms wide and turning around to motion to all the preparations being made to the arena all around them.

“Movers may be more than what they were in your time, but the industry wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for you. I was hoping I’d get to meet you tonight, as well; get a chance to thank you personally. Guess the universe moves in mysterious ways sometimes, huh?” He asked, shaking the excited officer’s hand and placing his other on his shoulder. “That’s two people I was hoping to see tonight who I ended up seeing early. This must be my lucky day!”

Bolin was speechless, shaking Ryuuki’s hand. When Ryuuki let go, he stared down in shock, vowing in his mind to never wash that hand again. He couldn’t seem to wrap his mind around the idea that one of his heroes saw him as a hero. With a look of flabbergasted joy on his face, Bolin turned to Korra, smiling, mouthing ‘Did you just see that?!’ in the most unsubtle way possible.

Knowing she still had work to do, Korra addressed the actor. “Anyway, it was nice to meet you, Mr. Ayatsurishi. Sorry for taking up so much of your time.” 

“Nonsense! And please, call me Ryuuki.”

“Well then, Ryuuki, I’ll let you get back to what you were doing. I guess I’ll meet you again at the premiere tonight?”  Korra assumed they’d both be pretty busy later that night, so maybe it was good that they got to meet like this. But it was time to wrap this up – they still had to go let Lin and Mako know the Arena was clear and help them finish setting up security.

“Yes, of course! In fact, we’ll be sitting in the same balcony tonight, so we should have plenty of time to talk more later on. It’s a pretty big space, so I told Varrick he could invite whoever he wanted and he gave me a list of who he had in mind. As I thought, that guy knows some pretty interesting people.” Ryuuki laughed.

Famous as he was, even Ryuuki was a little overwhelmed by everybody who’d be in attendance. Now that he got to meet Korra and Bolin a little early, he was excited to meet Suyin, Lin, Tenzin and the President face-to-face later on, never mind the Avatar’s new fiancee. Ms. Sato had done a lot to support the mover industry on the side, and in Ryuuki’s mind, she was just as responsible for his success as Bolin and Varrick were.

“Wait, we’re all sharing a balcony with the mover’s star? Varrick never said anything about that! SWEET!” Bolin exclaimed, thrusting his fist into the air in excitement. Ryuuki meanwhile pursed his lips, looking around somewhat guiltily. 

Rubbing the back of his neck, Ryuuki gave a nervous laugh. “Eheh, I guess he wanted to surprise everybody… oops.” He apologized. “Ah, do me a favor and try to act surprised tonight when you see me! I don’t want Varrick to know I let it slip. And please don’t tell anybody else!” He pled. 

“Can do, sir!” Bolin saluted. Korra only nodded in confirmation. With that, Ryuuki wished them luck with the security setup and went back to work, approaching the crew setting up the large, half-raised mover screen at the end of the ring.

“Did you hear that? Ryuuki was hoping to meet me!  _ Me _ !” Bolin exclaimed once he was sure Ryuuki was out of earshot.

“Yeah, I heard. He was hoping to meet me, too.” Korra smirked, her arms still crossed. So this was what Opal meant back at the wedding, when she was trying to explain how Bolin reacted to seeing her grandmother. “I’m surprised Toph didn’t smack you if this is how you act around all your heroes.”

“Well, she tried, but at least she complimented my Lavabending later on!” Bolin reminded, only ever focusing on the bright side. Korra shook her head. It was time to get back to work.

Grabbing onto Bolin, Korra took her leave from the Pro Bending ring, leaping from there to the stands with an Airbending boost. Being in a relationship with an Airbender himself, he was beginning to get used to all the flying and jumping around, barely reacting to it. Having sensed them while searching for the Chi Eater, it wasn’t long before Korra, followed by Bolin, converged on Mako’s and Lin’s location.

“Finished already?” Lin asked, noting Korra’s appearance at the end of the hall. “What’s the verdict?”

“All clear, Chief!” Bolin declared with an excited wave that  slowed down considerably after he noticed his brother was holding onto his bad arm again. His smile weakened and Mako instinctively let go, acting as though everything were fine. It seemed that getting back onto good terms with Korra wasn’t enough to calm him down. Mako was way too stressed out for his own good.

“I couldn’t sense any spirits or strange presences or anything, so I think we’re good.” Korra smiled. Lin nodded and a look of relief appeared in Mako’s eyes. That was one problem solved, then. “How about the physical sweep? Have you heard anything unusual from your officers yet?”

“It’s all clear on our end, as well.” Mako confirmed.

“Aside from the spirits deserting the bay, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary.” Lin said. “But their thinning numbers worries me. They’d only done this in Dragon Flats so far, but if spirits are starting to run away from here, too, then I’m beginning to think they may know something that we don’t.”

Korra frowned, but only for a moment. As soon as she started to think it over, an idea hit her, one that seemed obvious in retrospect. “…Of course, the spirits!” She exclaimed. The others gave her a puzzled look.

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner – if this thing’s a spirit and it’s scaring other spirits away, then they must know  _ something _ about it, right? I should go find one and ask if it’s ever heard of this Chi Eater before. There has to be at least  _ one _ spirit in the city old enough to have encountered it.” Korra hypothesized.

Mako closed his eyes, inhaling deeply as he did. Why hadn’t  _ he _ thought of that? He’d been sitting in an office chasing down leads for days and it’d never once occurred to him to find and interrogate a spirit. …But then again, a spirit  probably wouldn’t take the time to hear him out.

Lin nodded. “I could always use an extra pair of hands around here, but collecting information on the Chi Eater takes precedence. Bolin,” The Chief addressed, grabbing the younger brother’s attention. “You help Mako and I finish setting up for tonight, you know this place about as well as he does. Meanwhile, Korra, you go see if you can’t find a spirit who’d be willing to give us some information. And here, take this,”

Waving over one of her nearby officers, she confiscated some sort of radio and handed it to the Avatar. Korra marveled for a moment at the sight of it – the last time she had one of these was when she was turning herself over to Zaheer, and it wasn’t nearly as streamlined. This newer model also had Varrick’s name written all over it, literally.

“Contact me as soon as you find something. If we can get a lead on where it’s hiding, cornering and destroying it becomes our top priority.” Lin explained.

Korra nodded, her mouth going a little dry at the mention of destroying the spirit. Personally, she was still hoping it wouldn’t have to come to that. But if it did… she was ready. Clipping the communicator to her belt, Korra left the hall and grabbed her glider from a seat near the entrance where she’d left it earlier on. Next stop was the old downtown district. If there were anywhere in the city that still had spirits, it’d probably be the portal.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
“So you’re rebuilding Avatar Korra park after all, huh? Can’t say I’m surprised.” Ravi laughed, looking over the plans Asami had given him as the two of them stood in what was once one of the most popular locations in all of Republic City. Once vibrant and alive, the park was now in ruins. Kuvira’s attack had taken its toll, many plants and trees killed or uprooted by blasts from her spirit cannon and craters left behind by falling debris.

Bridges were broken, sculptures were ruined, and chunks of overturned earth stopped the river from running half way down the line. The large statue of Avatar Korra that Asami had erected as its centerpiece was still miraculously intact, however. In fact, the entire area immediately around it seemed to be completely untouched. When Asami had first seen it earlier on, it made her smile. It seemed right, almost as if even her statue was doing its best to protect the city.

“More than just that, by the end of the expansion plan, I intend for Republic City to have four more major parks just like it.” Asami smiled, presenting another blueprint outlining her ideas to her assistant. “This park will remain where it’s always been, here in the old downtown district, especially since it’s so close to the new spirit portal. But on top of that, I’d like to put one in the east, one in the west, and two on the northern end as well… bring a little extra natural beauty into this place.” She explained, extending her arm in a vast circle as she pointed to the horizon.

“And Raiko agreed to fund this?” Ravi asked, doubtful. Asami shook her head, her smile fading.

“Well, no, unfortunately, the city’s a little strapped for cash right now. But he  _ did _ approve it. This is going to be mostly out-of-pocket for us, though I’m thinking we could start some fundraisers for the project, as well.” The CEO replied, drawing Ravi’s attention back to her plans. “But I think once the citizens hear about it, we’ll get plenty of support. I’m thinking of making each park representative of a different culture, with a statue like Korra’s as their centerpiece. Something to help reflect all of the different people who make up Republic City, you know?”

“That sounds like a great idea to me.” Ravi replied, rolling back up the proposed redesign for Avatar Korra park and sticking it into his back pocket. He handed Asami’s outline for the four future parks back to her. “We have a lot of Earthbenders at our disposal right now. We should be able to fix this place up  _ and _ plot out locations for your proposed parks pretty quickly.”

“Sounds good.” Asami agreed.

“I figure if we use our Earthbending to keep their roots and everything intact, we should be able to bring in some trees from outside the city to help replace the ones we’ve lost. And with a few Waterbenders, we should be able to restore the grass and river in no time, as well. It’ll cost a lot less than renting equipment.” Ravi thought aloud, eager to get to work. All things considered, this would actually be a pretty easy project with their current resources.

The only things that may take some real time and money in all of this would be the new statues and art pieces Asami had proposed. Though, given that he was something of an artist himself, Ravi supposed he could work on some of them, if she’d let him. He felt pretty confident that he could get this place back to its old self in a week, tops. Maybe even sooner. Repairing what was already there was easy – it would be the building of four entirely new parks from scratch that could take some time.

He addressed his boss again. “All that being said, it’ll probably take a good month or two of location scouting, planning, terrain manipulation and construction per park, never mind all the promotional work. Since I’m the only worker you’ve got on staff with an artistic background, I can start coming up with some promotional material and maybe even draft some early concepts for you and your team to go over… if you’re alright with that, anyway.” Ravi suggested. Asami’s face lit up immediately.

“That’d be perfect, thank you!” She exclaimed, pulling the man into a hug. 

The two of them began going over the details when Asami stopped mid-sentence, squinting her eyes and looking up at the sky behind Ravi as a familiar sight caught her attention. Was that Korra gliding towards them? Luckily for Asami, her girlfriend had spotted her, too. With a smile on her face, the Avatar brought herself down to a landing, running up to her fiancee and greeting her with a hug.

“Asami! What are you doing out here?” She asked, glancing in Ravi’s direction as he started walking up to them. Was this the ‘old friend’ Asami had been telling her so much about? She never mentioned how tall he was. Korra felt pretty short around Asami sometimes, but this was completely different – she was barely up to this guy’s shoulders. Talk about a giant!

“Ah, you must be Korra. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you; Asami’s told me a lot about you over the years. My name is Ravi,” He greeted, shaking the Avatar’s hand hello. Even his hands were huge, she noted. Like damn. “Congratulations on the betrothal, by the way – I’m happy for you two. You make sure you take care of her, you hear? Bear in mind that I’ve known Asami for most her life; she’s almost like a little sister to me. So if you don’t, I’ll find you.” He half-jokingly warned.

“Ravi!” Asami shouted, clearly a little embarrassed. Korra couldn’t help but laugh. She was happy Asami still had somebody else around her who treated her like family.

“Don’t worry, she’s in good hands.” Korra smiled, grabbing hold of Asami’s hand as she spoke. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Asami told me a lot about you as well. You said you’ve known her most her life?”

“Oh, yeah. Her father took me into his company when I was around 16. I was an orphan living off the street, but he gave me a job and a place to stay. He said I had a lot of talent. Of course, that was before he found out I was a bender…” Ravi trailed. As much as he thanked and looked up to the man, his prejudices were still something he’d never fully understand. Asami had told him Hiroshi had moved past them by the end, but….

“…But, that’s all in the past. It’s Asami’s company now, and I’m happy to help out in any way I can. In fact, we were just talking about rebuilding your park here before you showed up; and building four new ones, too.”

“ _ Four _ ?” Korra asked, looking back at Asami for confirmation. She nodded. “You never stop working, do you?” She laughed.

“‘Fraid not.” Asami teased. It seemed that Korra would have to get used to loving a workaholic.

“Well, I can’t wait to see what they look like when they’re done. Asami says you’re some sort of artistic genius or something, so I’ve got some pretty high expectations.” Korra warned, giving the tall, redheaded man a teasing grin that made him laugh.

“Did she now? Well, ‘artistic genius’ may be overselling it a bit, but I’ve taken an interest on the side, yes. I have a few ideas for these parks, which I will elect to keep secret for the time being. I think you’ll like them when they’re formally announced, though.” He assured, leaning in and winking. “If you ask me, even when she isn’t consciously thinking of you, this girl’s still thinking of you.” Ravi teased, leaving Asami a little flustered and Korra, confused.

“She’s not making four more parks dedicated to me, is she?” Korra half-groaned. Asami looked almost insulted at the insinuation.

“You’ll see.” Ravi teased further. “Anyway, I should get back to it. We’ll get work started first thing in the morning. It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Avatar Korra. I’ll see you and Asami at the premiere tonight.” He concluded, walking back to Future Industries with a lazy wave goodbye.

With Ravi gone, Asami turned to Korra. “Aren’t you supposed to be helping out with the Chi Eater case?” She asked.

“Oh! I still am, actually! I’m just following up on a new lead now.” Korra assured, her expression sinking somewhat as she remembered everything she’d learned and was tasked with doing right now. “Things are worse than we thought, though… a lot worse.” She frowned. Asami grabbed her other hand, looking her in the eyes.

“What’s wrong?” 

“It turns out this thing’s been active for almost a thousand years, and has been actively trying to avoid my past lives. So far as we know, I’m the only Avatar to ever catch onto it and actively start pursuing it since it started. I don’t like it, but it’s looking more and more like we’re dealing with a killer spirit.” Korra sighed. “I was really hoping it wasn’t true somehow, especially with how strangely it’s been acting, but a story I got from a, urgh, a  _ witness _ earlier, confirmed it.” She explained, almost gagging by the end. She wasn’t sure which was worse – the Chi Eater or that creepy Gonzo guy. Currently, she was leaning toward the latter.

Asami’s grip tightened slightly, concern set in her brow. It sounded like her day wasn’t going so well. Asami almost felt guilty for it – her own day had been almost perfect up til now. She hated knowing that Korra was still so stressed. “Are you okay?” She asked. Korra nodded, still frowning.

“I think so. I’m still just reeling from all the information, I guess. I liked to think my past lives were better than this, but either they weren’t as great as I held them up to be, or this thing’s smarter than anything the Avatar’s ever faced before, and I don’t know which one scares me more.” Asami immediately hugged her, hoping to comfort her girlfriend. As she pulled away, Korra’s face had gone from worry to determination.

“Well, I never knew any of your past lives, so I can’t really speak for them, but I can definitely speak for you. I believe in you. I’m sure you’ll get to the bottom of this.” Asami reassured. Korra’s face relaxed a bit.

“Thanks. It’s not all bad, though. We made sure the Arena was safe, and Mako, Bolin and Lin are beefing up security as we speak. I’ve also got a new lead to follow. We think spirits might know something about the Chi Eater since they’re all running away from it, so I’m heading toward the portal to see if I can’t find something out.” Korra looked towards the beam of light in the distance and started frowning again. “Come to think of it, I should probably get going now.” She wished she could just spend her days with Asami.

“Okay.” Asami nodded, leaning in to give Korra a soft kiss on the cheek. “I’ll let you get to it then. Be careful out there; I’ll see you tonight!” The two girls smiled at each other, Korra returning Asami’s kiss with a slightly longer peck on the lips before reopening her glider.

“I will, don’t worry. Later!” She promised, taking back to the air. She had some wilds to investigate.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
Korra was surprised. Having long since landed her glider and entered the wilds, she’d thought the deeper she went, the more spirits she’d encounter - especially as she got closer to the portal. But as she cautiously traversed the broken city streets, dirtier and more dangerous than ever in wake of Kuvira’s attack, she couldn’t seem to find  _ any _ . She could definitely feel an intense spiritual presence all around her from the spirit vines and the portal, but that was it.

She was growing more concerned by the minute. Was the Chi Eater really so dangerous as to have scared them out of the city altogether? Coming to a dead end, Korra earthbent herself a platform, making her way her way up to an area of collapsed highway and surveying the area.

After Kuvira’s cannon exploded, the center of the wilds had been reduced to little more than a crater and a portal. Korra had heard that trees and vines were already starting to grow back rapidly near the portal, but it wasn’t as thick as the area she was in, which had grown in record time.

Moss covered the face of almost every building, and grass and vines overtook the majority of the roads. The trees all looked twice as tall as they were back when she went to rescue Ryu and Jinora a few weeks ago, and the air smelled cleaner than anywhere else in the city. She could hardly even tell this used to be a city anymore. It looked more like a jungle.

Thankfully, it wasn’t spreading past the point it was at before, so it probably wouldn’t overtake the  _ whole _ city, but Korra wouldn’t be surprised if by the end of the year, this place would be completely reclaimed by nature. 

Eerily, the silence that surrounded her was deafening.

There were no birds, no spirits, no visitors, not even the sounds of insects. Nothing but the sound of leaves, rustling in the breeze. And that much was definitely not normal. 

This stillness… Korra was beginning to feel anxious. Was it here? Was it watching her? Though she looked around franctically, she couldn’t see anything, so slowly, she ventured deeper.

She must’ve made it a hundred feet before it hit her, but when it did, she fell to her knees with a scream. 

Eyes closed and clutching her head, Korra felt as though it were about to explode. A sudden surge of pain washed over her like nothing she’d felt before, and with it, a tremendous spiritual presence. Suddenly she could hear whispers all around her, like a thousand voices carried on the breeze, but all of them were saying different things. She couldn’t focus on any of them. She couldn’t understand any of it.

Gradually the pain abated, but the spiritual pressure grew more intense. Opening her eyes, Korra rose back to her feet and looked around her for its source. Her arms were up in a defensive position and her breathing had gone shallow, every hair on the back of her neck standing tall. Cautiously, she turned around, the presence growing closer and the whispers getting louder.

Then, for a split second, she saw it - a shadow darting between buildings. She let loose a furious volley of fire blasts, but there was nothing. She just hit empty darkness. From the alleyway, only whispers and the sound of spirit vines slithering from the heat could be heard. 

Her eyes darted in the direction of the shadow she swore she saw, and when she saw it move again, she kicked up a chunk of concrete that flew helplessly into the side of an overgrown building. It hit the ground with a thud. Once again, she’d missed. 

“Where are you!” She cried out. 

Visibly scared and upset, Korra firebent wildly in multiple directions. She lit up the darkened alleyways and canopied streets but saw nothing, not a single animal or spirit. 

Still, the presence drew nearer. Still, the whispering grew louder. 

She was starting to feel like she was drowning, and where pain once pulsed behind her ears, she could now hear a dull ringing. Ringing that accompanied the whispers and an intensity that weighed heavy on the air. The ringing and the whispers grew louder and louder and Korra’s chest grew tighter and tighter and…

And then, there was nothing.

As suddenly as it appeared, it was gone, and there was nothing but the stillness once again. Stopping her aimless bending, Korra panted, her head darting from left to right. Was it gone? Had she scared it off? As far as she could tell, she was all al-

  
  


.̵̵͉̗̥̝͈̻̭̀̓͐ͤ.̛̳̙ͨͯͭ̇͡.̵̡̠̩̳͚̪̗̝̼̘̀̎̔̃ͮ̀k̵̵͍̯̗͈̖ͥ̓ͧo̞͙̖͙̩̫̣̗͗ͬ̅̂͂̎r͛̏͐͗̚҉̴̢̘͓̪̫̣̠̬̝r͉͕͖̆̾ͤa̤͕̬̙̞͍͙̍̾̑̀̾̏͡.̸̪̊̆ͩ̂ͧ̓͝.̴̸̧̟̗͕͈̖͔͛̾̅̀ͨ̑͂͋͛.̵̳̖̫͔̺̉ͨ̃͒ͬ̀̇

  
  


Korra’s heart skipped a beat, an unfamiliar voice struggling to say her name right behind her. Clenching her fists, she whipped around around in terror with flames trailing her form only to see a flash of light.

The next thing Korra knew, she was lying on her back in the middle of the street, completely disoriented.

Groaning, the Avatar struggled to her feet, clutching her head in pain. But it wasn’t just her head this time – her whole body was in pain. After she blinked a few times and adjusted to her surroundings, the pain subsided, and with it, she realized she was alone again. How long had she been lying there? Whatever presence she’d been feeling was gone, and the stillness that had encompassed her had finally given way.

She could hear the birds again; the croaks of frogs and the buzz of nearby insects. Wiping off the dirt and plant debris from her clothes, Korra looked around. This wasn’t where she was a moment ago. 

“I… what?” Taking a few steps forward, Korra noticed something strange – the light was different. A pit forming in her stomach, she looked up to find the sun in a different position than she remembered it. In fact, it was a full hour away from where it should’ve been.

“Did I… faint?” She asked nobody in particular. Taking her hand from her head, her eyes went wide once again. 

Blood.

Running to the nearest window, she looked into the shattered glass and stared at her own reflection. Thankfully, it was nothing too serious – just a minor gash, probably from when she hit the ground. Whenever that was. Korra breathed deep, calming herself down some. What the hell just happened to her? She thought she heard someone say her name, and then the next thing she knew…

…A rustle from a nearby tangle of vines broke Korra’s train of thought, and entirely on reflex, she nearly Firebent in its direction, only stopping herself at the last possible moment. The presence she’d been feeling from before was gone now;  it might be nothing. It might be a friendly spirit. Taking a deep but shaky breath, Korra calmed herself, but kept her guard up, her eyes narrowing and body tensing up in wait.

A second later, a disheveled and familiar form peeled out from the thicket and walked leisurely into the middle of the road, and Korra immediately relaxed.

“Ryu?” She asked, lowering her arms. She’d never been more relieved to see him in her life.

Rather lazily, Ryu looked up from the ground and in the Avatar’s direction, his expression blank. “Oh. Hey, Korra.” He greeted simply. Korra let loose a sigh of relief. Whatever happened to her, it was over now.

“What are you doing out here all alone? Shouldn’t you be back on the island or leading a tour group?” She asked. Ryu shrugged.

“Nah. Tenzin wanted us all off the island, and it turns out nobody really wants to take a tour through the spirit wilds while there’s a killer spirit on the loose. Go figure.” He replied.

Korra’s face sunk. Oh. So the news had already leaked. She almost wished she were more surprised, but her faith in this city’s media had never been that high. “Oh… sorry.”

“Don’t be, I hate those things.” Ryu groaned.  _ ‘He hates a lot of things’ _ , Korra thought. “I just came out here to look for some new places to hang out, I guess.” 

“You said Tenzin ordered you off the island?”

“Not just me, everybody.” Ryu corrected. “He said he’s worried about the Chi Eater, so he told us all to make ourselves hard to find or whatever. I don’t really care.”

“Oh… right, he mentioned something about that earlier. It’s probably for the best.” She sighed. She was beginning to feel like no matter what they did, they’d be stuck on the defensive with this one. After a moment of awkward silence, Korra asked another question. 

“Hey, you wouldn’t happen to have seen anything…  _ strange _ around here, have you?”

“I dunno. Strange stuff happens out here all the time. I’m pretty sure this whole place is alive.” Ryu replied, poking a nearby vine in disinterest. “I did hear somebody Firebending earlier, but I didn’t want to get involved.”

Korra looked a little embarrassed. “O-Oh, that might have been me.” She sheepishly explained. “I thought I saw something, but… I don’t know. All I know is that I heard someone call my name and, suddenly, I was all the way over here and missing a whole hour of time.”

“See? Strange.” Ryu reiterated. Judging by the look on Korra’s face, though, that wasn’t the response she wanted to hear, so he tried again. “I dunno, maybe the wilds saved you.” He suggested, giving her a rather noncommittal gesture as he did.

“The wilds saved me…?”

“Well, yeah. Like I said, I’m pretty sure this place is alive, and you’ve helped it out in the past, right? Sooo… maybe it just returned the favor.”

Korra thought for a moment. That… would definitely explain why she was suddenly in a whole other part of the wilds, and maybe even why she was missing time. But while the thought of it may have comforted her, it also made her anxious at the same time. If the wilds saw it fit to intervene, then that really must’ve been the Chi Eater… it was here.

Shaking her head, Korra snapped back to reality. She had to focus. As long as she had him here, she may as well ask Ryu about the spirits before letting him go. “One more thing, the spirits – I’ve been looking for one to talk to for a while now, and I thought this place would be crawling with them. But… I haven’t sensed any since I arrived. Do you know what happened?”

“Oh, yeah. Yeah, they left too.” Ryu stated rather matter-of-factly. “I tried to convince a few of them to stay since they’re pretty cool and all, but they said if they were going to die, they’d rather do it in their world. Something about not wanting to get eaten? I don’t know. It sucks though. A few of us were gonna head down and see that mover tonight, but I guess they’re too spooked to bother now.” He complained. “It’s whatever though, I’ll just go alone.”

Hearing that, Korra almost invited him to join her and Asami, but after thinking about it for more than just a second, she realized that she’d really rather not. Besides, there were more pressing things in his response for her to address.

“…You said they were scared of being eaten? So the Chi Eater’s after them, too?” She asked.

Ryu shrugged. “I dunno, I guess so. That’s all they told me.”

Korra sighed. It made sense. Spirits were made up of chi and spiritual energy, so if this thing was using Energybending to suck out people’s chi and eat it, then it stood to reason it could do it to spirits, too. But  _ why _ , though? Why would it suck out people’s chi? Why would it eat other spirits? It was like the more she learned about this thing, the less it made sense to her. It was beginning to become incredibly frustrating.

They didn’t happen to tell you where the Chi Eater may be hiding, or anywhere you should stay away from or anything, did they?” Korra asked. If the spirits cared enough to talk to Ryu – and really, Ryu? Of all people? – then maybe they’d care enough to warn him where it was.

“I dunno, didn’t ask.” Of course he didn’t. “They just told me not to go to the premiere tonight. Something about the crowd. But like… I actually  _ like _ movers. And this one’s  _ free _ . I don’t care if it’s dangerous, I’m going.”

“Wait wait wait – you actually  _ like _ something?” Korra pressed, no longer able to hide her confusion over this entire conversation they were having. Seriously,  _ Ryu _ ? The disheveled young man looked offended.

“Well, yeah? What kind of joyless bastard doesn’t like movers? I mean, come on.” Ryu scoffed. Korra shook her head. She could think of one.

“Well, whatever. I’m surprised they even told you that much. Spirits don’t really care for humans all that much. Usually if something’s coming, they’ll just get up and go and leave us to our own devices. I guess they’ve gotten pretty used to you after all the tours you’ve given through their home, huh?”

“Eh, we hang out sometimes.” Ryu supposed, sinking his hands into his pockets. “Apparently I’m one of the only people they can stand. I don’t really care, but neither do they, so that makes them pretty cool in my book. No expectations.”

In a way, that kind of made sense, but Korra had other things to worry about. The spirits were gone and they were thinking the same thing as Korra, Raiko and all the others about the premiere drawing the Chi Eater’s attention. She could always head into the spirit world herself and see if she couldn’t start interrogating a few of them there, but not only did she get the feeling that they wouldn’t be cooperative no matter  _ where _ she talked to them…

Looking back, deeper into the wilds, Korra frowned. If she were being honest, she wasn’t sure if heading deeper into the wilds was such a good idea right now. Not after that encounter of hers. Perhaps it would be better if she just let it be and focused on protecting the arena.

Korra let loose an annoyed sigh. She was seriously considering suggesting that Asami just stay home at this point. But… if she went alone and nothing happened, she’d have wasted a perfect date night. And after the news of their betrothal, people would probably get suspicious and start asking questions if she suddenly showed up alone. But was it fair to rope Asami into such a dangerous situation?

Benders were one thing, she could take care of herself against them no problem, but even Korra was going to have trouble in a battle with a spirit. Knowing Asami, though, she probably wouldn’t want to stay behind no matter  _ what _ Korra said. It was not a conversation she was looking forward to.

“Ryu, do yourself a favor and never become the Avatar.” Korra joked. Ryu shot her a confused look in response. “If spirits are abandoning the city like this, then this thing could be even worse than we thought. I should let Lin know what’s been going on and then see if I can’t find Asami.” She thought aloud. “Thanks for all the info, Ryu. It’s a big help.”

“You’re welcome, I guess.” He shrugged, taking this as his cue to leave and heading deeper into the wilds across the street.

Reaching for the communicator clipped to her left hip, Korra noted it was a little sticky, yanking immediately yanked her hand away in disgust. 

“Ugh, gross!” She shouted. It didn’t seem to have stuck to her skin or clothes, but there was a thin, sticky film of slime over the plastic. She’d been so focused on getting answers that she hadn’t realized it was there. Looking up, she saw a torn up empty pod exactly above the spot she’d awoken earlier. It seemed the wilds really did protect her. She was beginning to wonder if she’d been more badly hurt than she thought.

Reaching for the communicator a second time, Korra tuned in to police radio frequencies and waited for Lin to pick up. She was beginning to get a bad feeling about tonight.


	8. A Night at the Theater, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night of the premiere has finally arrived! Hoping for a night to themselves, Korra and friends wind down from the stress of the week and prepare for the event.

**Book 5  
Chi**

**Chapter 8  
A Night at the Theater, Part 1**

  
It was an hour to the premiere, and Korra and Asami had finally returned home after a long day of work. After taking a quick shower to wash off from her excursion to the wilds, Korra stepped out of the bathroom to find Asami already mostly dressed and ready to go. Though she was a little shaken up by it, she’d managed to keep a cool exterior. She elected not to tell Asami about it, though, in fears of worrying her any more than she already was.

As per usual, Asami had picked what had to be the prettiest (and most expensive) red dress money could buy, and had adorned herself in gold bracelets and jewelry to match. Suffice it to say, she was stunning. Korra couldn’t help but smile.

But it wasn’t just Asami that greeted her when she entered the room. She was also surprised by a last-minute gift from her fiancee, something she’d been wanting to try for a very long time now when Asami saw it in a store window on her way back form work, she knew she had to pick it up – and if Korra’s reaction was any indication, she had been right to do so. As soon as she laid eyes on it, Korra’s face lit up like the sun.

While Asami may have delighted in dresses and jewelry and makeup, Korra had always found it annoying having to doll herself up all the time. Whenever she threw on a nice dress, it was almost always against her will, never mind against her nature, and she’d frequently complained she’d rather just wear a suit, instead. So that’s exactly what Asami got her.

Showering her in kisses of thanks, Korra rushed to try it on, but…

“Um… Asami, are you _absolutely sure_ this looks okay on me?” Korra asked, the left eye of an increasingly irked Asami twitching involuntarily at the question.

“Korra, I love you, but I swear, if you ask me that again I’m going to slap you.” Asami warned, stopping what she was doing to look the Avatar dead in the eye as she spoke. Korra gulped, nodding silently in response. “Honestly, you panic over the silliest things, sometimes; I already told you that you look great! Now stop fussing and let me finish with your tie.”

Korra had always assumed that a Water Tribe suit would be simpler than a dress, but as she was starting to figure out, she probably should’ve done her research first. She’d been completely blindsided by the unique challenges of formal attire, and had once again found herself relying on her fiancee for help, the same way she did with all of her dresses.

Honestly, if it’d been entirely up to Korra, she’d probably have shown up in a mismatched three piece and lacking a tie entirely. Luckily for her, Asami actually knew what she was doing. While it wasn’t her style in the slightest, during the bad days after her mom died – when her dad could barely get out of bed, let alone get dressed for work – she’d helped her father out with his suits.

“Korra, are you listening to me?”

“Sorry, I’m sorry, I’m just… I’m really nervous,” Korra spoke up, her face turning red. “I-I mean, I was curious how a suit would look on me, yeah, but now that I’m actually wearing one, I’m afraid of what people are gonna think.” Or worse, say. But Asami shook her head, biting her lip as she finished up with Korra’s tie.

“They’re gonna think you look beautiful, just like I do. Don’t worry.” Taking a step back to admire her work, Asami nodded, satisfied. “Damn, okay, well, maybe beautiful is an understatement.” She corrected, giving her fiancee a proud smirk. Korra could feel her face turn even redder. Now that she was done, Asami moved out of the way, finally allowing Korra to take a look at herself in the mirror.

The instant she saw her reflection, any doubts she may have still had disappeared. “…Damn,” Korra repeated, a smile sneaking its way onto her face. “I look _good_.”

“See? I only told you seven times.” Asami teased.

“Five,” Korra corrected, not wanting to sound _too_ difficult. “But you were right… sorry for freaking out so much.”

“Don’t worry about it, it was actually kind of funny to see you like that. Like… you’ll lay down your life for the city no problem, but put you in a suit and suddenly you’re the definition of anxiety.” Asami laughed. “But I guess you weren’t raised to face fashion head-on like you were for danger, huh?”

Korra huffed, flashing Asami a mock-insulted pout before turning back to admire herself in the mirror again. As she turned her body and flexed, she was surprised at just how well it actually fit her. She was afraid she might accidentally rip it if she moved around too much, but once again, Asami’s supernatural sense for the intricacies of Korra’s form had served her well; just like it had when she commissioned that statue of her in the park.

There was just one thing left that Korra wasn’t too sure about, and that was her hair. Raising her hand to pull up the hair around her face, she was beginning to wonder how she should style it to fit. “Hey, should I wear my usual updo, or would that clash too much with the suit, do you think?” She asked, turning to Asami for advice.

Her fiancee thought for a moment, puffing her lower lip as she raised her hand to her chin. There were a few different ways Korra could deal with her hair, honestly, but it didn’t take long for Asami to settle on her favorite.

“Here, let me just…” Asami began, turning around to grab a comb and a hair tie and then getting to work. She stepped back and let Korra have a look. “Well?” She asked, excited to hear her Korra’s verdict.

For a moment, Korra just stared, but it wasn’t long before she broke into a huge smile. As per usual, she was pretty satisfied with Asami’s work. “Wow, I haven’t had my hair in a ponytail like this for a while… I kinda missed it, actually. Classic Korra meets new.” She described, turning her head to get as many angles as possible.

This was definitely a look she could get used to. Lingering by the mirror just a moment longer, Korra looked herself up and down one more time, then turned to face Asami. “Thank you so much. I never would’ve had the guts to pick up a suit myself.”

“Clearly.” Asami teased again, smirking at her through the mirror she was currently facing. “Even if you had, I don’t think you’d have known what to look for, so it’s probably for the best.” She thought aloud, applying her lipstick.

“I mean, maybe, but, you don’t have to say it.” Korra pouted. The girls laughed. Walking away from the mirror so that Asami could put on the finishing touches to her makeup, Korra’s mind wandered back to the reason they were getting all dressed up in the first place. She was excited to finally see a mover, and even more excited to have her first public date with Asami, but she couldn’t help but worry about the threat the event was under. Even if she and Lin had done everything they could to secure it, there was always a risk.

“Are you sure there’s nothing I can do to change your mind? If something ends up happening tonight… spirits are nothing like benders. I really don’t want you to get caught up in that.” Korra frowned, eliciting a frown from Asami in turn as she finished applying her eye shadow. Much like her insistence that Korra looked fine in a suit, this was something she’d been over more than enough by now.

“My decision is final. I’ve been through spirit attacks before, during Harmonic Convergence, remember? I know what we might be up against.” Asami sighed, turning away from the mirror to face her fiancee properly. Korra was sitting on the edge of their bed, visibly concerned. “But it’s just as possible that nothing’s going to happen. Either way, it’s a chance I’m willing to take. I want to spend this night with you.” She insisted, walking closer to Korra.

Korra fell back onto the bed, her arms outstretched to her sides. “Yeah, I know.” She sighed. Part of her really wished she could change Asami’s mind, but this battle was already over and she knew it. “At least you’ll be next to me the whole time… if something does happen, I’ll be able to make sure you’re safe.”

“Exactly. Our balcony’s gonna be filled with powerful benders tonight, there’s nothing to worry about.” Asami smiled, hoping to reassure her fiancee of her safety. Offering Korra a hand, she helped her back up and sat down next to her.

“I know, I just… you’re important to me. More important than anything. If something happened to you…” Korra didn’t dare finish that thought. “…I just can’t afford to not be strong enough to protect you.”

Asami frowned. “You don’t have to protect me. I can take care of myself.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Korra rushed to correct. “I just mean… …I don’t know. I’m scared.”

Asami looked deep into Korra’s eyes, placing a hand over top of hers. She looked like she was about to say something, but before she could, a knock at the bedroom door drew the two of them out of the moment.

“Miss Sato, Sir Varrick has arrived.”

Sighing, Asami turned her head from the door back to Korra. She still looked upset. Asami was concerned. “Do you want to talk about this a little more?”

“No, no – we shouldn’t keep everybody waiting.” Korra replied, forcing a smile onto her face. Asami was unconvinced, but Korra was already getting up to head downstairs. “I trust you.” She claimed. That much, at least, Asami believed.

She grabbed her purse from the dresser by the mirror and followed Korra out. As they made their way to the foyer, she made sure she had her Equalist glove in her bag – just in case.

  


*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  


As soon as they stepped outside, the girls were greeted by Varrick’s driver, who stood waiting by the door of a large, white limousine. As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by a sea of familiar faces.

Everyone was already in the limo: Bolin, Opal, Suyin (whose family would be arriving separately), Tenzin, Pema, the kids, Kai – even President Raiko and Buttercup were waiting for them, next to Varrick and Zhu Li. Everyone was greeting them at once. It was honestly a little overwhelming. Korra immediately felt flustered as she remembered what she was wearing, biting her bottom lip and taking a seat between Jinora and Asami, who had taken the open seat next to Bolin.

Though the seats were luxurious, Korra felt anything but comfortable as everybody’s eyes settled onto her and Asami.

“Korra, Asami, it’s so nice to see you two again!” Opal greeted first with a smile, Asami waving hello in response. “I heard about your betrothal in the news – I’m so happy for you two.”

“T-Thanks,” Korra stuttered, tugging at her collar a little bit. Was it hot in here, or was it just her? Asami sensed her fiancee’s unease and silently offered her hand to hold. “It’s nice to see you again, too.”

“Oh, I love what you’re wearing!” Opal remarked. Korra could feel her face turning red as attention was immediately drawn to her and her suit (assuming it wasn’t there already), but thankfully the red velvet interior helped to obfuscate her blush.

“Yeah, I’ll say – your suit is even nicer than Mako’s, and he got his from a former crown prince! Go Korra!” Bolin cheered from next to her fiancee, an uneasy smile finding its way to Korra’s face. Not that it wasn’t a heartfelt one – she just still felt incredibly awkward.

“Oh, sorry – we’re not making you uncomfortable, are we?” Opal asked.

“N-No, not really,” Korra replied as the limousine began to move. “I was just a little unsure how I was going to be received like this.”

“Well, I think you look wonderful. Personally, I’m glad to see the Avatar buck tradition and wear whatever she wants, for once. I don’t think you’ve ever looked comfortable in a dress any time I’ve seen you in one.” Suyin replied with arms crossed, a sentiment that was then echoed by Pema and Jinora.

“Agreed! A quality suit looks good on anyone, if you ask me.” Varrick chimed in, not that anybody had asked him to. “I mean, look at Zhu Li, she looks amazing in hers! Powerful women and suits go together like Varrick Industries and movers!” Zhu Li nodded in agreement.

“Th-Thanks, guys, it means a lot.” Korra replied with a much more earnest smile. Already, she could feel herself starting to loosen up a bit. Now that all that was out of the way, she could finally take a moment to appreciate _everybody else’s_ outfits.

Tenzin’s family and Kai were all decked out in their finest robes while Suyin, Opal and Bolin were wearing the best (and priciest) formal wear Zaofu had to offer. Varrick and Zhu Li, seated on the end of the limousine opposite Korra and Asami, also seemed to be dressed to the nines, and seeing Zhu Li in a suit like hers further eased the Avatar’s mind.

In fact, out of those gathered, the ones who ended up looking the least lavishly dressed were the President and his wife – they already dressed pretty formally to begin with, so there wasn’t much for Korra to note. While she didn’t much care for fashion, herself, she had to admit, she still liked to see people getting all dressed up for events like these. There was just something inherently neat to her about seeing how everybody chose to present themselves when given the opportunity to go all out.

While people had been talking amongst themselves while she checked out their fashion choices, it was Opal who managed to catch her attention.

“So, how was your vacation?” Opal asked, a knowing grin on her face. Korra immediately looked to Asami in response. How should she answer that, exactly?

“It was… spirity,” Korra stated simply, leaving it at that. Opal and Asami laughed.

“Yeah, I’ll bet,” Opal teased further, her mother just shaking her head in response.

“I think what my daughter means to say is that we’re very happy for the both of you.” Suyin corrected. Korra could feel her face going red again. Tonight was gonna be full of this, wasn’t it?

“I always had a feeling there was something going on between you two – Zhu Li knows, I told her all about it months ago! Congrats on the betrothal! The married life is pretty sweet all things considered, and Kiyoshi Island? GREAT place for a honeymoon. Those elephant koi are super fun to go surfing on, especially that big, black, snake-like one!” Varrick exclaimed, as lively as ever even in such a confined space as the limousine.

“Uh… I think that black one may have been the Unagi…” Korra informed. “You know, the sea monster? The one the island’s famous for?”

Varrick looked confused. “Sea monster? Really? Why didn’t anyone tell me? Oh, whatever, it was fun anyway!”

Korra laughed. She almost forgot how entertaining Varrick could be. “Well, either way, thank you, Varrick. For your well wishes _and_ for tonight. I’ve never actually seen a mover before, so I’m pretty excited.”

Bolin and Varrick shared a shocked, almost hurt look. She’d never seen a mover?! “Man, the South always _was_ a backwater dump,” Varrick began, rolling his eyes. “Well, whatever! You’re in for a treat! I’m telling you, movers? Easily one of the best things I’ve ever invented. Top three, for sure!” Bolin and the airbender kids, who had been listening in, all nodded wildly in agreement.

“I’ve always loved a good book more than anything, but there’s just something about seeing your favorite novel get adapted to the big screen.” Jinora said, easily the most emotionally contained of the siblings, as per usual. “Did you know tonight’s mover was actually based off a book? I never got to read it, but I know Opal did; she said it was _really_ good.”

“Yeah, I’m excited to see how it compares, honestly – especially with _Ryuuki_ playing Xin-Long, I love his work! I just hope they can pull it all off, especially that chase scene…” Opal stopped herself there before she spoiled too much, much to Jinora’s chagrin. She’d been pressing Opal for details ever since she first saw her reading the book, but all she’d managed to get out of her was the premise. Sure, she was about to see it in an hour anyway, but she wanted to know _now_!

“Oh, don’t you worry about that, I know they can! Who do you think provided all the special effects?” Varrick grinned.

Suyin chimed in. “Yes, well, I’m just glad the premiere’s even happening at all. After all the news about that ‘Chi Eater’ thing, I was afraid the city would cancel it.” Korra followed Suyin’s gaze as it drifted to the President, curious as to what he’d have to say about the matter.

“Nonsense. I have the utmost faith in Chief Beifong’s Metalbenders, never mind our Avatar.” The President replied, adjusting his tie. “I’ll admit, I did briefly consider canceling, but I feel the city needs an event like this now more than ever. And besides, you built up a lot of good will after taking care of Kuvira, Korra. The people believe in you now more than ever. With you there especially, I think this may be just the breather the city needs.”

“Sounds like _somebody’s_ vying for reelection…” Varrick groaned, rolling his eyes. Raiko shot him a glare, but Varrick seemed unfazed, giving him a mocking look in return. Korra sighed. Those two never did get along very well.

“…Well, I won’t let them down.” The Avatar assured, her gaze lingering momentarily in Varrick’s direction before she turned her focus entirely to the president. “About Kuvira, though… I’ve been kind of sidetracked by the Chi Eater investigation since I got back, but I’ve been meaning to ask if I could take part in her trial. I know it’s a little late in the game, but to be honest, there are some things I feel like I need to say.”

Raiko nodded. “I understand, and I expected as much. I’ve been asking them to drag things out a little longer in order to give you a chance to participate. I think I can get the tribunal to hold off a few more days if that’s what you need to wrap this thing up.”

“Thank you.” Korra nodded respectfully.

Compared to how she was when she first arrived, she almost appeared to be in her element now, talking about such important things. But Opal wouldn’t have noticed.  As soon as the topic changed to Kuvira, she felt as though she’d been punched in the gut. Sharing a look with Bolin, she grabbed his hand for support.

They’d both given the tribunal their testimony over a week ago, so that much was behind them, but with the way that Korra was talking now – that tone in her voice, that urgency – Opal almost felt afraid what she might want to say. Due to the severity of her crimes and some leftover laws from Tarrlok’s time in the city council, the death penalty was very much a possibility for Kuvira.

If she were being honest with herself, there may have been a part of her that was hoping for that, and it was getting stronger every day. The more Opal  she heard about everything Kuvira had done, the details, the more she came to hate her. As a result, she almost didn’t want to know where Korra stood on this. After all, she was the Avatar. When she spoke, people listened.

“Are you a part of the tribunal, Su?” Korra asked, the sudden mention of her mother’s name drawing Opal’s attention back to the conversation.

“Me? Oh, no, I don’t think _anybody_ thought putting me in there would be a good idea, myself included,” Suyin replied, waving her hand at the suggestion as though it were obviously ridiculous. “I’m way too biased when it comes to her, and I know it. I let the Earth Kingdom’s transitional government select a representative from Zaofu in my stead.”

“And on top of Zaofu, we have further judges from the transitional government, Republic City, and even the White Lotus presiding over the case, due in part to her use of concentration camps for people with non-Earth Kingdom heritage.” Raiko tacked on. Korra frowned at the mention of concentration camps. She’d heard about them in passing before, but she hadn’t realized how prevalent they must’ve been if the White Lotus was stepping in.

“I’m also taking part, seeing as the Air Nation helped in negotiations between Kuvira’s forces and the various states during her conquest.” Tenzin spoke up. Korra looked surprised. He hadn’t mentioned that earlier, but she guessed she _had_ been keeping him pretty busy with other things…

Raiko spoke up again. “The point being, there’s a lot to consider. But that’s all the more reason for you to take part. The Avatar’s opinion may end up playing a big role in affirming the tribunal’s decision, one way or another.”

As he spoke, Asami could notice Opal’s look beginning to sour. “Opal? Is everything okay?” She asked, getting Korra’s attention in the process.

“O-Oh, yeah, I just… I’m not very comfortable with talking about Kuvira so much, I guess,” She fibbed, earning a skeptical look from Asami. But she let it go. It wasn’t her place to push.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…” Korra apologized, visibly upset, but Opal shook her head. She didn’t want to make a scene.

“No, no – it’s fine, let’s just talk about something else for now… please.” She requested. Luckily for her, her boyfriend already had an idea what that something else could be.

“Ooh, ooh, I know!” He exclaimed, excitedly raising his hand. “You still haven’t told us much about your vacation! You’ve gotta have _all kinds_ of cool stories about that, right? There’s no way I’ve already heard them all!”

“That works,” Opal replied with a laugh, Ikki and Jinora inching forward at the thought. Now _that_ was something they could get on board with.

Korra and Asami shared a look. There was definitely a lot for them to talk about, and it seemed like they had an audience if they wanted to. They supposed they could share a couple stories.

“Okaaaay, uhm, well,” Korra stammered to begin, trying to think of what would be a good place to start that she hadn’t already told Bolin about. “Hm. Well, it’s weird. The Spirit World is super mystical and mysterious, and Asami and I probably learned more about ourselves and each other in our two weeks there than we had in the last two _years_ , but…” Korra thought, her gaze directed upward as she tried to think of an interesting story. “At the same time, it’s almost kind of ridiculous? Sometimes? It’s a pretty strange place.”

“How do you mean?” Ikki asked.

“Hmm… well, okay – Bolin, did I tell you about that time Asami and I climbed a mountain?” Bolin shook his head. Korra grinned. Perfect. “Okay, so, it was a couple days before we decided to head back, and Asami and I found this _huuuuge_ mountain that seemed to come out of nowhere. I swear, we’d been through that place a couple times by then and it’d never been there before, so, we decided to check it out.”

“And by that she means we raced each other to the top,” Asami corrected, a rather proud-looking smile on her face. “I won.”

“Did not.” The Avatar insisted, quickly moving things along before her fiancee could correct her again. “Anyway, turns out, in the Spirit World? Some mountains are actually spirits, and also alive, so, it wasn’t very happy that a couple of humans were climbing all over it.” Korra recalled, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck. “It just shook itself like a wet polar bear dog and sent us flying, I was barely able to pull Asami and myself to safety with my Airbending.”

“Yeah, that was fun.” Asami laughed. Clearly, she found it less embarrassing than Korra did. “After it shook us off though, we ended up finding the most beautiful, upside-down waterfall. Like… the water was flowing in reverse, and there was this permanent rainbow like a halo all around it. So we decided to have a nice picnic there and ended up going for a swim.” Asami described, her smile softening into one of fond reminiscence as she thought about that picnic. That was probably her favorite date so far.

“Mhm. We raced there, too. I won again.” Korra proudly declared.

“Again? I already told them you lost the climbing race. And you only won the swimming one because you used your Waterbending!”

“You can’t prove that,” Korra accused. Now the two of them were arguing over who actually won what and how. So much for story time. Thankfully, almost as soon as Korra and Asami had started bickering, Varrick exuberantly announced that they’d arrived.

“Weeeeee’re heeeeeere~!” Varrick sang, catching everyone’s attention. “Alright folks, looks like the press is waiting for us. Make sure to put your best foot forward!”

It’d been a long time since Korra had been here. The Arena had certainly changed these last few years. Vines extended up from the ocean and grew up and around the building, and it looked like they’d made a few renovations to accommodate that. She couldn’t say she’d ever seen it this busy though, not even during the tournament. She was almost afraid the little man-made island it was on would sink with how many people were standing around on it, waiting to get in. All of them seemed too busy talking to notice the arrival of Varrick’s limo, though.

It looked as though they’d stopped just in front of the red carpet (straight from the Fire Nation, of course - they make the best red stuff). Raiko and Buttercup were to first to step out.

Almost as soon as their feet hit the ground, a flurry of flashbulbs bombarded them from all sides. Half the city’s reporters stood at the front of the crowd and to either side of the carpet, keeping as close to the action as they could while people slowly trickled into the arena.

The President and his wife carried themselves with grace, professionals in the limelight, smiling and waving hand-in-hand as they were allowed swift access to the bending arena – there were no such thing as lines for Varrick and his guests. One by one, they exited the limo and made their way across the red carpet.

Waiting just outside the arena’s entrance was the rest of Suyin and Opal’s family, who’d arrived separately earlier on, as well as Mako and Lin, who had never left after starting to set up.

Shiro Shinobi was set up at a small table right at the end of the red carpet and reporting on behalf of those already inside, his distinctive voice being carried over loudspeaker as he announced the celebrities as they arrived.

As per Varrick’s insistence, Korra and Asami were the last to leave the limo, and it quickly became apparent to them why. Predictably enough, all eyes were on them the second they stepped out of the car, their recently ‘announced’ betrothal being the focus of their introduction. Of everybody to have arrived, they received the most energetic reception from the crowd.

Thankfully (at least in Korra’s mind), it didn’t last long, and before she knew it, they were standing inside the arena’s reception hall. As busy as it was outside, there weren’t too many inside the building just yet, mostly just press, workers, and a few other VIP groups. Posters for _‘The Dancing Dragons’_ were hung all around, and vendors from the all over the city had been invited to set up stands inside to help meet demand for candy, drinks and popcorn. They were expecting a pretty busy night.

And so were the police, apparently, though Korra was sure they were hoping otherwise. There were almost as many of them in here as there were outside. Lin clearly wasn’t taking any chances.

As soon as Korra finished taking it all in, she and Asami were predictably pulled into conversation, gathering together with the rest of her group. They exchanged a few words here and there, but they were more interested in talking to their friends than anything, so it wasn’t long before they excused themselves and gathered Team Avatar from their crowd.

While Asami went to look for Ravi, Korra pulled together Mako, Opal and Bolin, making for a mostly complete reunion for Team Avatar. As Bolin had hinted at earlier, Mako had changed into a beautiful black suit courtesy of (former) prince Wu, and he and Korra spent a brief moment admiring the other’s choice of dress.

“Here they are! Ravi, these are the friends I’ve been telling you so much about. Mako, Bolin, Opal, I’d like you all to meet Ravi.” Asami introduced, joining her friends with a rather large man in an Earth Kingdom suit in tow.

“Oh, yes! It’s nice to finally put some faces to the names, it’s nice to meet you all. I’m an old friend of Asami’s.” He introduced, keeping things brief. “I’d love to talk more, but Asami pulled me away from an important associate of ours and I should really get back to her. I hope you all have a wonderful night, though.”

Asami frowned slightly, but didn’t let it get to her too much. She was hoping he’d stick around longer, but she understood; she recognized who he’d been talking to the second she saw her. She owned a shipping company Future Industries had worked with a lot in the past year.

“Honestly, does he ever stop working?” Asami asked, hands on her hips. “Oh well. Let’s have some fun.” She smiled. It felt like it’d been forever since they got to just hang out together like this. The last few years left them very few opportunities to just enjoy their time together.

They’d missed it more than they knew.

With a few minutes to go before they were all due inside, the VIPs all made the most of the time that they had. Team Avatar reminisced and reconnected, the leaders talked politics, the kids ran around and played under Pema and Huan’s supervision, Raiko and Buttercup entertained the press – even Lin seemed to be enjoying herself, laughing along with her sister and Zhu Li.

In fact, the only one who _didn’t_ seem to be in the middle of any conversations right now was Varrick. Surprisingly, he stood off to the side, quietly watching everyone with a distant smile on his face. Then, just as everybody prepared to enter the building, he finally stepped up and addressed the group.

“Hey, so, before we head in, there’s something I’d like to say.” Varrick announced, the tone of his voice remarkably earnest. That alone was enough to pull everyone’s attention to him.

“Oh… of course,” Korra replied, a little surprised and unsure what to make of Varrick’s sudden change of tone. It wasn’t often she heard him so serious, and her mind couldn’t help but jump to the Chi Eater. “Is something wrong?”

“What? No, no, it’s nothing like that,” Varrick fervently assured. Korra quietly breathed a sigh of relief. “I just wanted to say a few things is all. I’m not really good at this sort of thing, but, I think it’s important that I thank you guys for actually showing up tonight. I know I can be loud, and obnoxious, and eccentric, and I know one way or another I’ve hurt almost every one of you, but you guys still gave me second chance. You still heard me out when I asked you to join me tonight.”

“All my life, I’ve always been about _me_ , but over these last couple of years, that’s started to change. Intentional or not, you’ve all helped me become a better person. In fact, you’re the first _real_ group of friends I’ve ever had, and I probably wouldn’t be the man I am today without you. So, I know it isn’t much, especially after all the stuff I’ve put you through in the past, but I wanted to put this night together as a sort of thank you for not just… giving up on me. I figure it’s the least I can do. So, thank you.”

Nobody was really sure what to say – it was a pretty very un-Varrick like thing to do, after all. But Suyin immediately placed a hand on Varrick’s shoulder, smiling. She’d been the first to give him a second chance after the civil war, and she was happy to see how far he’d come since then. It was nice to see that she could still be a good judge of character, even after Kuvira.

Breaking the silence, Mako was the first to speak up. “…I have to admit, after everything you did to me and my friends, I found it pretty hard to forgive you. I didn’t think you’d ever change. But… you’ve really proven yourself since then.” Varrick had been expecting a harsher reaction than that from Mako of all people, but his expression eased the longer he went on. This was… unexpected.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Mako paused, sighing. “But maybe I’ve been too harsh on you. When push came to shove, you did the right thing. And for that, I think we should be the ones thanking you.” With a smile, he offered a handshake, which the briefly stunned Varrick eagerly accepted. But before he could muster up anything to say in response, Asami cut in.

“I didn’t think I’d ever forgive you after what you did to my company, and if I’m being totally honest, I still don’t know how much I can trust you. But after everything… I think I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. I agree with Mako.”

Once again, Varrick seemed stunned. “Really?” He asked as if on reflex.

“Ravi filled me in on how you’ve helped our company around the city these last two weeks, and you do seem different now than when I first met you. I’m still going to be keeping an eye on you, but if this is really who you are now, then I think I might just look forward to working with you in the future.” Asami concluded.

“You guys…” Varrick sniffled, already feeling the tears begin to well up.

“I have to admit, I was afraid I’d regret pardoning you the day after I signed the papers. But, you haven’t let us down yet. You’ve been a tremendous help to Republic City, and I don’t know if she’d still be standing here today without you.” President Raiko agreed, his hands folded calmly behind his back.

Right on cue, Zhu Li handed her husband a tissue. Blowing his nose and wiping his tears on his sleeve, Varrick managed a response.

“I swear, with Zhu Li as my witness, I won’t let you guys down!” He declared, raising a finger to the sky as he spoke. The group laughed, patting Varrick on the back and shaking his hand in turn.

With all that settled, it was time to get to that premiere. To that end, Varrick and Zhu Li took the lead, taking the group through the foyer and down the halls to the balcony they’d reserved for them.

As the balcony drew nearer, the mover fans among them got more and more excited, none of them moreso than Bolin. He was getting so excited, in fact, that Opal was starting to get a little suspicious. She knew he liked movers and all, but she’d never seen him this excited before – he was almost vibrating.

Korra meanwhile occasionally glanced over at Asami, almost as if she were checking her mood. She’d been hoping against hope that the premiere would go off without a hitch, but the closer they got, the more anxious she became. Checking on Asami and seeing her smile pulled her back from that, though. Asami didn’t seem to notice.

Finally, they’d reached their destination, and just as one would expect, Varrick made a show of opening the doors.

Standing by the railing, was a blue-eyed, blue-haired man dressed in an extravagant Fire Nation suit, waiting for them. Of those gathered, Bolin and Korra had the least reaction, having had the surprised spoiled for them earlier on, but everybody else seemed suitably shocked.

With a knowing grin, Korra looked to Asami. Just as she’d expected, she lit up the instant she put together what was going on.

“You’re…!” Asami gasped. It wasn’t all that often she was rendered speechless, let alone _starstruck_.

“Everybody, Ryuuki, Ryuuki, everybody,” Varrick promptly introduced, pushing ahead of his guests so that he could stand beside the man of the hour. “Remember the ‘surprise guest’ I mentioned? Well, _surprise_! We’ll be sitting with the star of the mover, tonight!”

“MR. RYUUKI. HI. BOLIN AGAIN.” Bolin blurted out, a little louder than he probably intended to. Ryuuki laughed and Korra rolled her eyes. “Uh, this is my girlfriend, Opal, we’re really excited to meet you,” He continued, vigorously shaking the mover star’s hand for a little bit too long.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m sorry about Bolin.” Opal introduced, her embarrassment apparently outweighing whatever excitement she may have had in meeting a mover star.

“Oh nonsense, he’s fine,” Ryuuki assured, laughing a little. “I’m something of a fan of his, too. We actually met a little earlier today.” He explained. “It’s nice to see you again, too, Bolin.”

“Wow, you met Ryuuki and you didn’t tell me? I’m shocked.” Opal smirked, turning back to Bolin. Since when could he keep a secret?

“You knew too, didn’t you?” Asami accused her partner, confirming her suspicions. She almost wanted to chastise her for not telling her earlier, but she couldn’t be mad – it was a nice surprise. The look on Korra’s face said it all.

“Yeah, Bolin and I bumped into him earlier today and got to talking for a while. He kind of let it slip we’d be sharing a balcony by mistake and made us promise not to tell anyone though, so… I know you like your spoilers, but I’m an Avatar of my word.” Korra replied, ending her explanation with the most over-the-top ‘serious’ look she could muster.

Asami laughed and offered a handshake to the actor. “Well, Mr. Ayatsurishi, it’s an honor. I’m a big fan of your work.” She introduced.

“That’s putting it lightly,” Korra teased. Asami elbowed her in response. “Ow!”

Ryuuki laughed. “What an entertaining group of friends you have, Mr. Varrick,” He remarked. “But please – just Ryuuki is fine. I’m a big fan of _your_ work as well, Ms. Sato. You and your company have done more for this city than almost anyone. I don’t think it’d be the symbol of unity and progress that it is today without you.”

Asami blushed. “Well, your donation is going to go a long way to making sure it stays that way, trust me. I’ll make sure it goes right to the neighborhoods most affected by Kuvira’s attack, just like you requested.”

Ryuuki smiled. “That’s all I needed to hear.”

“Ryuuki, I’m such a big fan… could you sign my copy of ‘ _Tales from Ba Sing Se’_?” Jinora had popped up seemingly out of nowhere, startling the man. A book and pen in hand, she grabbed the actor’s attention as soon as she found an opening.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t even see you there, of course,” Ryuuki apologized, his eyes traveling down to the book in her hand. “I’m happy to see you liked the book as much as the mover it was based on.”

“Heh, what can I say, I love to read,” Jinora sheepishly replied, growing more self-conscious by the second. Part of her wanted nothing more than to geek out with him right now, but she didn’t want to embarrass herself or take up too much of his time.

“Ah, you and me both!” Ryuuki acknowledged with a smile. “Say, you’re the youngest Airbending master in history, aren’t you? Airbending has always fascinated me; I’ve actually tried incorporating a few of its movements into my Firebending! You must be quite prodigious to have accomplished all you have at such a young age.”

Jinora blushed, not sure what to say. “T-Thanks…” She trailed, awkwardly holding out her book. He reached for Jinora’s pen, his hand brushing against hers in the process- “AH!” Suddenly, she recoiled with a yelp, staggering back and letting the pen fall to the floor.

In an instant, Tenzin pushed ahead and grabbed hold of his daughter. “What did you do…!?” He asked, looking up at Ryuuki.

“Nothing, I just barely touched her,” Ryuuki replied, equally as shocked as Tenzin.

“It’s fine, I’m fine,” Jinora insisted, pulling away from her dad and inserting herself between him and Ryuuki before he pressed any further. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened… as soon as I touched your hand, it shocked me. I think it was just some static electricity, but, it really hurt…” She was clearly as confused as everyone else.

Ryuuki looked relieved. If that was the case… “Hm… well, I _was_ practicing my Lightningbending earlier. Maybe there was still a little pent up energy? I’m surprised I didn’t shock anybody else, though…” Ryuuki theorized, shrugging it off as some sort of fluke. It seemed to be good enough for Tenzin and Jinora.

“Wait a second, you can Lightningbend?” Mako spoke up from the back of the room, his interest in Ryuuki suddenly going up.

“Just a little something I picked up over the years,” Ryuuki humble-bragged. “I’m not much of a fighter really, but I do take my bending pretty seriously.” He smiled.

Mako smirked in response. It’d been a while since he’d met another Lightningbender. At least, one that wasn’t dead or a Triad member. “Huh, go figure. I guess you’re the real deal, after all.”

Ryuuki bowed, always thankful for the approval of a fellow Firebender. “Thank you; that means a lot coming from the man who took out Kuvira’s weapon.” He replied. Mako didn’t really respond to that, but the look on his face spoke volumes. “…Oh. Did I say something wrong?”

“No, no, it’s just… a little more complicated than that,” Mako replied, a little uncomfortable. He didn’t really fancy himself the ‘hero’ type, but, that’s what people seemed to be calling him now after everything that happened. Ryuuki just nodded. He understood.

For the remaining free time they had before the mover started, Ryuuki mingled with the rest of the guests as everybody explored the balcony. He introduced himself to each and every one of them personally, engaging in short conversations with each. Korra and Asami, meanwhile, found themselves gathering near the railing, overlooking the pro bending ring. This was where it all began for them. It was hard not to reminisce. If Korra was still worried about the Chi Eater at all, in at least this moment, she didn’t show it.

Then, before they knew it, it was finally time to begin the event.

While everybody took their seats, Ryuuki adjusted his tie and welcomed a couple of members of the press who had been waiting outside onto the balcony. Among them were reporters and photographers, all of them from different papers within the city.

Once everything was in place, Ryuuki bowed, walked to the edge of the balcony, and tapped the microphone twice. The sound echoed throughout the entirety of the arena, hushing the crowd’s loud chatter. Taking a deep breath, Ryuuki began his opening speech.

“Right… ah, how do you even start something like this? I thought about maybe writing something down, but I really wanted this to feel natural.” He opened a little awkwardly, flashbulbs lighting up the balcony behind him as he walked along its edge, surveying the crowd. He was a little taken aback by how many people were actually here. He had an idea in his head what it’d be like, but actually seeing it in person was a whole other story.

“Well, I guess the best place to start would be to welcome you all to the premiere of my new mover! It makes me so happy to see the citizens of Republic City gathered together like this for a night of fun and celebration after the year this great city has had. No other place in the world has ever made me feel this at-home, and no other group of people has treated me so kind. This city and this Republic have   given a lot to me and helped make me who I am, and tonight, I want to give back.

“That’s why I insisted on making this event free to all citizens, regardless of status or how badly they were affected by Kuvira’s attack, and also why I promised to donate 2 million yuans out of my own pocket to help the reconstruction efforts. And it’s a promise I intend to follow through with now. Mister president, Miss Sato, if you would join me.”

Reaching into his jacket, Ryuuki pulled out a check, motioning for Raiko and Asami to stand as he was presented a gold-tipped pen by the man who had handed him the radio. Pointing to herself to make sure she wasn’t mistaken – Ryuuki nodded – Asami rose from her seat with a little insistence from Korra. As far as Ryuuki was concerned, she was as much a part of this as Raiko was. Cameras flashed as they took position beside Ryuuki.

“I know that at the end of the day, I’m just an actor and tonight’s event is just a mover. I also know that in the grand scheme of things, 2 million yuans doesn’t seem like all that much. I know there’s not much that I or any other one person can really do about everything that’s happened recently. But I know that if we all band together and chip in what we can, if we all work with one another and uplift one another as we have been, eventually, all of these little things we have to contribute will start adding up.

“I’ve been promised by President Raiko and Ms. Sato of Future Industries that my donation will go directly to the poorest neighborhoods in the city, the ones hit the hardest by Kuvira’s weapon. I’m sure that with the President’s help, Ms. Sato’s supervision, and the will of the people of this great city, this 2 million will go a long way.”

Putting down the microphone momentarily, Ryuuki finally signed the check. 2 million yuans, exactly as promised. Handing it to the president and Asami, the three of them posed for a photo and the check was handed off to one of the president’s aides. Reaching back for the microphone, Ryuuki smiled, satisfied, and announced the deed was done. The crowd cheered. Cameras flashed around him as he surveyed the crowd and soaked up the moment. Closing his eyes and just listening for a second, he felt more alive now than he had in years.

He felt at home.

Raiko and Asami returned to their seats and Ryuuki addressed the crowd one last time. “And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Without any further ado, I give you _‘The Dancing Dragons’_.” The crowd cheered once more, and Ryuuki took his seat between Varrick and the President. He seemed… almost serene.

Another crew member on a balcony adjacent dimmed the lights and ran the projector, and at last, the mover began. Excited to finally be having a real, normal, _public_ date with her new fiancee, Korra smiled, holding on to Asami’s hand.

As the music swelled and the opening credits began to roll, Korra was absorbed into the world of the film. In truth, she’d been a little skeptical at first. She’d read a couple books and she’d seen a few plays, so she thought a mover wouldn’t be much different from that. But this was nothing like a play. She hadn’t been so happy to be wrong in a while.

The story was something of a romantic thriller, telling the story of two Firebending detectives caught up in a romance with one another while working a triad case in the big city. While Ryuuki’s character, Zhu Long, was clean, his partner and love interest in the film, a girl named Kiyo, was not. In truth, she was actually the daughter of the crimelord in charge of the very triad they were investigating, their mole inside the precinct.

It was a situation that Korra found to be somewhat familiar. It wasn’t difficult for her to relate to parts of Ryuuki’s character, or to insert herself and Asami into Zhu Long and Kiyo’s places. She found it a little funny to think of her and Asami being pursued by Ginger, though, who’d been cast as the cop from internal affairs who knew that _something_ wasn’t right. She was becoming more and more enthralled by the minute.

At the same time, all throughout the film, Korra’s thumb found itself absentmindedly stroking the back of Asami’s hand while she watched - _especially_ during the romantic scenes. If she had any doubts about movers before, she certainly didn’t have any now. She was officially a fan.

Meanwhile, Asami was enjoying the more technical aspects of the film, on top of its story. It was good, yeah, but how did they even film half of this? The special effects were great, and those car chases must’ve taken forever to stage. The spectacle of it all had her smitten, when Korra’s grip on her hand suddenly and drastically tightened. She nearly yelped in surprise while Korra doubled over in pain.

“Korra?” Asami worriedly whispered, trying to get a good look at her girlfriend’s face in the dark. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust from the screen to her, but when they had, it became clear. Korra wasn’t okay.

A familiar sense of dread was washing over her, and it made her sick to her stomach. It was the same sort of feeling that was left in the air in Dragon Flats. The same sort of feeling that’d surrounded her in the wilds. And it was from her time in the wilds that she knew what would happen next, though she was hoping against hope that it wouldn’t.

“Please, no…” Korra whispered, her face becoming increasingly distraught. She felt like she couldn’t breathe, like she couldn’t move, and then Jinora screamed, clutching her head and tearing the VIPs’ attention away from the mover. She’d shared that same feeling of dread as Korra had, and now she felt like her skull was going to explode.

“What’s going on…?!” Ryuuki asked, rising from his seat in alarm. By this point, the whole of the group had been thrown into emergency mode.

Barely recovering from the near heart attack he had at the sound of Jinora’s voice, Tenzin leapt out of his seat to tend to his daughter like Asami tended to Korra, while Raiko’s bodyguards responded to the scream by closing in around the president and his wife. Mako and Lin exchanged worried looks, nodding, the chief checking in on Suyin and her family while Mako checked on Varrick and Zhu Li.

“Korra, what’s going on…?!” Asami asked, growing increasingly alarmed as the balcony descended into chaos. Korra wouldn’t respond. She could feel the pain now, too, and she groaned as the inside of her head began to feel as though it were swelling to the point of bursting.

“Jinora, are you okay?” Kai asked, holding onto Jinora’s face. It was paler than a sheet, and the mere sight of the agony and terror on her face almost made him cry.

By this point, everybody was starting to feel it - the sense of something coming, of danger - though not for the same reasons as Korra and Jinora. The two girls groaned, the agony they were under difficult to describe to people who didn’t have a strong spiritual connection like they did, and even tougher to fight through. Nevertheless, Jinora did, albeit just enough to speak.

“Something’s… coming… something bad… I haven’t felt anything like this since…” She couldn’t finish, the pain overtaking her. Since what?

“Since Vaatu.” Korra finished on Jinora’s behalf. The color drained from Asami’s face. It was coming. The Avatar’s voice was coarse and struggled, the pain and breathlessness that accompanied it making it difficult for her to speak. “But this… this is _worse_.” She let go of Asami’s hand to try and stand up, but immediately collapsed. Thankfully, Asami jumped in the way and caught her before she hit the ground. Weakly, Korra clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. Maybe if she meditated, she’d be able to shake it off.

But she didn’t get the chance to try.

As quickly as she and Jinora were subjected to it, they were freed from the pain. It was like the weight of the world had been lifted from their shoulders. Both their breathing was labored, but Jinora seemed relieved, and so did her family. But Korra knew better. She knew what came next.

“It’s not over.” The Avatar warned, tension quickly returning to the balcony. “It’s coming.”

Ryuuki looked around frantically. “What? What’s coming?” He asked, growing more distressed by the second.

“...The Chi Eater.”

As if on cue, a thunderous boom drowned out the speakers and any response to Korra’s warning there may have been, and the whole of the Pro Bending Arena shook. Power throughout the building flickered and the mover suddenly cut out, film reels shaking loose as the projector trembled. Boom after boom reverberated through the open arena and the audience grew distraught, frightened murmuring breaking out all around. The arena continued to shake, and people had begun rising from their seats, trying to get a better view of what was going on.

Losing his balance, Ryuuki stumbled, falling backwards into his chair. Terrified, he looked around the balcony for answers, but nobody said a word. They were all focused on their surroundings. None of them were sitting down anymore.

Knowing exactly what was going on, Lin and Mako shared a look and a nod. Without missing a beat, they broke the stillness and began rallying the non-benders to them.

“It’s here, we have to evacuate!” Mako announced. With no time amidst the chaos to argue, Tenzin entrusted his wife and child to their care, while Jinora, Ikki and Meelo staunchly refused to leave their father’s side.

Closing his eyes, Ryuuki took a deep breath and rose back up from his seat. Everyone was moving in different directions now. Even the crowd was beginning to panic, dashing to the exits as the building continued to shake. In fact, in all the chaos, the only one who seemed unfazed was Ravi, standing like a statue against the wall with his gaze fixed straight ahead at some invisible point. There was an intensity in his eyes that made Ryuuki shiver. It… almost didn’t seem human.

Asami meanwhile had ignored Mako and Lin’s orders and had elected to stay behind with Korra, whose hand was now tightly clutching hers. The engineer’s mouth had long since gone dry as she traced the sounds slowly ringing higher and higher through the arena, climbing it. The lights flickered one last time before the power went out for good, and in the darkness, the two girls kept each other close. The only light now came from the moon above, shining down through the arena’s domed glass ceiling.

Silence.

With the power out and the sounds coming to a stop, everybody who had been clamoring for the exit had frozen in the moment of calm. They couldn’t help but hope that it was over.

“Is it… gone?” Opal asked, clutching her mother’s arm. A cold sweat ran down her face.

The silence lingered, and in its cold embrace, their heartbeats sounded like explosions in their ears. For everybody in the arena, this momentary stillness felt as though it were an eternity. For a split second, Korra thought that maybe – just maybe – they’d caught a break.

But when the moon was eclipsed by a shadow from above, she knew that she’d been wrong to hope.

An unearthly scream rang out from the roof, and glass rained down like jagged hailstones from above. With it, a writhing black and blue _thing_ fell down, a gelatinous dark mass of wretched spiritual energy that made one sick just to look at.

It crashed into the pro bending ring below, cracking it on impact and collapsing into a puddle. Slowly, it rose into a formless, eerily glowing lump. Bright blue circular eyes flitted open from its center, then traveled along its surface, scanning the area around it as a disproportionate limb took shape. Using the arm to push itself up, it rose from the ring and shifted back into its original form.

While the audience screamed below, the VIPs remained deathly silent as they watched the creature watch them. Once it had coalesced back into a quadrupedal mass of dripping black ‘flesh’, it seemed for just a moment as though it were more curious than dangerous. Because for that moment, it just stood there, panting. Staring. It was almost as if it meant no harm.

And then it screamed once again. It was shrill, but at the same time, almost guttural, an intrinsic harshness lying just below the surface of what almost sounded like a mix of a woman crying out in pain and a screaming primate. Shockwaves accompanied the scream which caused the arena below it to crack and overturn in places, and Metalbending officers who’d already started springing into action were sent flying back into the stands with the force.

Everyone still in the arena covered their ears as the entire building shook once more. With the creature’s unearthly screech, the power surged back on, causing some of the light bulbs to explode in the process.

Once its screaming had subsided, the audience descended back into chaos, people climbing over and hurting one another as they clamored for the exits. Officers in the stands struggled to try and take back control of the situation, but quickly gave in to the panic themselves, knowing full well they couldn’t hope to fight whatever that thing was.

The creature, meanwhile, remained completely still. Its eyes continued to travel its body and scan the room, but it made no immediately threatening actions. Something about it seemed… _off_ , somehow.

“Is this… the Chi Eater?” Ryuuki asked, his voice shaking.

Korra nodded, focused on the monster. Its eyes seemed to have settled on someone.

Her.

A chill run down the Avatar’s spine. It was just waiting for her now, she could feel it.

“You guys should all get out of here too,” Korra warned. “This thing isn’t a bender. I don’t even know if this is a spirit anymore. But it wants _me_ , not you guys, so I’m gonna go give it exactly what it wants and keep it busy. You guys make sure everybody else gets out of here in the meantime.”

Asami responded almost immediately. “Korra, no!” But Korra just gave her a stern, sorrowful look and let go of her fiancee’s hand, walking to the edge of the balcony. Asami wanted to follow her, to scold her for trying to do this alone, but seeing that monster stare them down, she froze.

“Wait, alone? Are you crazy?!” Bolin practically shouted, leaving his girlfriend’s side to chastise the Avatar.

“Korra, please, you must reconsider –” Tenzin followed up, but Korra had already put a leg on the railing, getting ready to hop off. And she probably would have, too, if Bolin hadn’t caught up to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her down.

“Korra, stop! You heard what Gonzo said, this thing’s no joke! I’m not letting you rush in alone!” He declared, refusing to let go. Korra grimaced in response. She was afraid this might happen. Still holding on to Korra’s arm, Bolin turned to his girlfriend. “Opal, I know how important everybody’s safety is to you. Go help my brother get them out of here. I’ll take care of this.” Opal nodded in response and ran swiftly out the door, taking Kai and the kids with her for some extra help.

“Bolin, let go.” Korra demanded.

“No, this is too dangerous. I don’t care if you’re the Avatar, you’re my friend! I’m not abandoning you.”

“Bolin,”

“Korra, stop! He’s right, and you know it!” Asami interrupted, scolding her for her stubbornness. Korra looked back at her. She’d never looked so terrified in her life. Korra’s heart sunk at the sight. Bolin, meanwhile, finally let go of her arm.

“Asami, I–”

But Asami wasn’t going to let her finish that thought. “Please. Stop. I know you think you’re somehow responsible for this thing, and I know you don’t want any of us to get hurt, but you _can’t_ take that thing on alone.”

Korra shut her mouth, looking down at the Chi Eater. It was pacing around the ring, waiting for her. The others probably couldn’t tell since she’d said it with such concern – and she was _definitely_ concerned – but Korra knew. She could see it in her eyes. Asami was _pissed_.

“Don’t worry. She’s not going to.” At the sound of his booming voice, everybody’s heads turned to Ravi. He’d been standing by the wall this whole time, watching, undecided whether he should stay with the Avatar or leave with everybody else. But now that he’d made himself known, it seemed that he’d made up his mind.

“Asami, don’t worry. We’ll keep Korra safe.” Ravi reassured. Despite the situation, he seemed remarkably calm, and this, in turn, helped calm Asami down in turn. Slowly, she nodded.

Ryuuki sighed. “Aye, aye… I’m not just gonna stand around and take this, either, y’know.” He said, sounding like he was trying to convince himself. Everybody thought he’d left with Lin and Mako, but apparently, he’d been in the same position as Ravi up until now. “It’d be my honor to help the Avatar kick some ass.”

“You guys…” Korra trailed, not really sure what to say. Her eyes darted back to Asami’s. They were lacking the stubborn recklessness from before and welling with concern for her safety, instead. She’d just been waiting to leave until Korra accepted their help. Understanding Korra’s glance, she let a sigh of relief escape her lips.

“Be careful.” Asami wished, almost whispering. Korra rushed away from the edge of the balcony and grabbed hold of Asami, pulling her into a tight hug. It was the least she could do to try and reassure her.

“I will be. Don’t worry.” Korra promised. “You’re lucky our friends are a bunch of dumbasses, y’know that? Anybody else would’ve run as soon as I told them.” She smirked, pulling away to look into her girlfriend’s eyes.

Asami laughed nervously. “Maybe. But they’re all following you, so who’s _really_ the dumbass, here?” Korra shook her head, letting out a chuckle. Kissing Asami’s head, she pressed her forehead against hers and then watched her rush out the door. Then, after taking a deep breath, she headed back to the railing.

Korra looked briefly to her right and left. Two Earthbenders, an Airbender, a Firebending actor, and herself, the Avatar. Mako, Lin and the other airbenders would probably double back once everybody else was safe, too. She felt like this wouldn’t be enough, but it would have to do.

Undoing her tie and taking off her vest, Korra threw them behind her. She unbuttoned the sleeves of her dress shirt and hopped onto the railing. With fire in her eyes, she stared the Chi Eater down. Finally sensing the Avatar’s rage, its fingers dug into the ring and it arched back its body, poised to attack. The eerie blue glow surrounding it grew brighter as it began to growl.

It was ready, and so was Korra. Taking one more deep breath in and out, the Avatar rallied her friends into action. It was time to take this monster down.

“Alright, let's get this show on the road.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! June was a pretty busy month and July was a depressive hole, so this one took a little longer than usual. I'll try and have Chapter 9 out by the end of August, though!


	9. A Night at the Theater, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chi Eater attacks! With their illusive foe finally in front of them, Korra and her friends jump headlong into the fight of their lives!

**Book 5  
Chi**

**Chapter 9  
A Night at the Theater, Part 2**

  
“Alright, let’s get this show on the road.”

Leaping from the balcony, Korra propelled herself from the railing with a forceful expulsion of air from her feet, flying toward the center ring and throwing two huge blasts of fire from her fists ahead of her. Since the distance between the balcony and the battlefield was vast, she was wasting no time in getting started.

The Chi Eater hissed. It had sensed the molding of her chi before Korra would have even felt the heat of her flames, and as a result, its body had begun to reacting to her movements ahead of time. Korra growled. She hadn’t even landed to tackle it head on yet, and already this thing was pissing her off.

Realizing she was a sitting duck in mid-air, Korra expelled more flames from her fists, this time in a steady stream behind her to propel her forward faster. She still had a good deal of distance to cover, and she could see the Chi Eater was preparing some sort of a counterattack already. 

Thankfully, she had Ravi and Ryuuki there to back her up. They hadn’t left the balcony like she had yet, but they weren’t about to let her rush in alone, firing off attacks from either side of her to help keep the Chi Eater busy.

Ravi’s attack was simple enough, comprised of launching chunks of the wall behind him in the Chi Eater’s direction. A quick one-two from a boxer’s stance, and he’d forced the Chi Eater to shift its focus to Korra’s right, compelling it to counter the oncoming concrete or otherwise take the hit.

At the same time, another spike in chi drew its attention to Korra’s left, which was where Ryuuki came in. Completely focused, Ryuuki craned his body around with the movements of his arms, slinking low into a crouching back stance, his body not unlike a spring that had been put under pressure. 

Watching the electricity trailing Ryuuki’s fingertips, Bolin looked on with wonder. He could feel the same sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach as when his brother bent lightning, though Ryuuki’s unusual movements surprised him. Suddenly, the actor sprung back up, all of the tension he’d been building being released with a crack of thunder, lightning streaking from his fingertips. 

Unfortunately, while Ryuuki  _ had _ managed to catch the Chi Eater’s attention with his lightning, it wasn’t enough to give the spirit pause. After darting to the right and left to avoid Korra’s fire with speed that’d reduced it to a blur, it met Ravi’s Earthbending with a lazy flick of its grossly disproportionate wrist, shattering the stone on contact, and then simply opened up a hole in its amorphous form to let Ryuuki’s lightning pass through it harmlessly. The actor tsked in response, burning away his jacket in a blaze of blue flame with a whip of his left arm, ready to follow Korra into battle. 

The Chi Eater made a low, gurgling noise, not entirely unlike a laugh, and Korra grit her teeth. It was mocking them. She was an instant away from landing now, and looking back, she found that Ryuuki, Tenzin, and Bolin were only just now jumping off the balcony to join her.  Ryuuki was propelling himself with fire, Bolin had essentially thrown himself with his Earthbending, and Tenzin was gliding across the gap as fast as he could. 

But Korra didn’t have time to wait for them. The instant that her feet made contact with the ring, she shifted elements, going from Air and Fire to Earth instead, pulling up multiple discs from the arena’s floor and hurling them at the spirit with maximum force with her punches. One, two, three, four, five – five pro bending discs, but the Chi Eater didn’t even bother to move. Instead, it let them collide with its semi-gelatinous form, portions of its body rippling as the discs shattered against it. Korra cursed beneath her breath. She wasn’t done yet.  

Pieces of the discs had been lodged in the creature’s shoulder which she bored deeper into its body, but it spat them back out with twice the force, completely unimpressed. The Avatar was forced to dodge. She wanted to attack again, but she was overwhelmed by a sudden, otherworldly fear. From this proximity, its spiritual presence was almost crippling. What’s more, it was huge, well over twice her height and taking up a solid eighth of the pro-bending ring.

Some of the intimidation factor was lost by how strange and sickly it appeared up close. But since it almost looked as though it were hunched over, she couldn’t help but feel it’d be much taller and more imposing if it weren’t for whatever seemed to be ailing it. For a second, she actually felt sorry for it, until the fear came back as its body twitched and jerked and the creature eyed its prey, hungry. It seemed to barely be in control of its body. For Korra, that made it even scarier, as it meant that not even the Chi Eater could be entirely sure what it was going to do next. 

Suddenly longing for help, Korra quickly looked back towards the balcony, but the others still had a long way to go before they’d reach her. For now, she was alone.

Thankfully, the Chi Eater didn’t immediately attack, turning Korra’s moment of hesitation into her first opportunity to get a good look at her elusive foe. Though she found its continual patience weird, she tentatively sent more disks in it direction, but it only huffed, letting them shatter harmlessly. Looking down at its tiny opponent, the eerie blue glow around its body pulsed in time with its breathing, which it seemed to do from an opening on the top of its head. Korra noted that there was only a grin-shaped marking where she expected its mouth to be. 

The Avatar stepped back. From this close, she could see that its eyes were just featureless blue orbs of light buried beneath the surface of its ‘flesh’, and as she stared into their depths, it studied and sniffed at her,  _ memorizing  _ her. It had been remarkably docile given its reputation, and it was beginning to creep Korra out. She stared back at it, wondering what this thing even WAS exactly, what it wanted, when its long, whip-like tail lashed out behind it, cracking as it hit the ground. Korra felt a chill run down her spine. 

Then, Korra gasped. As horrible and disgusting and overwhelming as its spiritual presence was from this distance, now that she was so close to it, now that she could actually  _ see _ it, it also felt kind of…

Suddenly, everything went black.

_ ‘What the…?’ _

Korra’s eyes widened, and she looked around worriedly, the world around her disappearing into infinite nothingness until only she and the Chi Eater remained. Her mouth went dry and her legs almost gave out as her sense of hearing was overtaken by the sound of dozens of voices whispering in unison all around her. All of them were speaking at once but saying different things, and as desperate as they sounded to reach out to her, she couldn’t make out a word of what they were saying.

Korra staggered backwards, falling onto an hard, invisible floor, a cold sweat dripping down her face. This had happened before in the Wilds, but this time was so much more intense. With shaky breath, her eyes settled back on the Chi Eater, standing still before her. It stared at her. Studied her. Its breathing was slow and rhythmic, distinct from the whispers around her, while her own had become shallow and painful.

She wanted nothing more than to get back up and run, but her body was no longer responding to her terrified demands to move. With nowhere else to focus, Korra’s eyes stared deep into Chi Eater’s own, and  
  


s̗̤͈̏̉͑̊̈́ͬ̏̚͟͠.̝͇̏ͩͬ̀ͣ̇ͧͩ͒.̸̢̣͓̱̻͍͉̞̍͌ͧ͠.̨̱̻̫̬̰ͩ͋̓̈́̍̌̕͢ă̡͙̟͔̩͉̟̫̮͉ͯͨ̒̅ͦ̀͟v͔̤̝̺͉̂̽̊̿̏̌ͩ̿.̵̗̹̹̩͚ͧ͋̑ͦͦ̋͞ͅ.̡̹̿̅̓̓ͥ̇.̷̳͉̱̥͕͖͎̙̉̓ͫẽ̴̴̱̙͕̫̝̤̉̎̈́ͥ ̸͈̙͔̣ͣ́ͥ̿̃͞u̵̫͔͓̣̘̝̗ͧ̐̐ͫͥ̅.̡̛͈̯͖̝͖̰͂̇̈́̚.̛̛̦͔̫̹̲̓̋͛̓.̞̠͑͌̑̈́ͫ̌̕̕s͆̈́͑ͦ̂̔͛ͤ҉͖̹̪͙͕̝̫.̡̛̺̘̝̙̜̦͍̳͛ͥ.̞̠͔͕̞͎̑̾̃̓.̸̮̯ͧ̅̄͆̑͜

  
“What…?” Korra whispered breathlessly, snapping out of her paralysis. Had… had somebody just said something? She looked around, but there was no one, nothing – just her and the Chi Eater. She was now far more confused than she was scared. Her eyes locked back on to the Chi Eater’s, and it happened again:  
  


f̹̤͓̺̻͚͖̌͢ͅȑ͚̘̪̭͕.͔̤͆͆͌ͥ͗.̓ͬ̊͆̐͏͕͙̯̥̻͚.͍͕͇̟̥͍̰ͣ̇̀̔͆͐͛̚ͅe̓ͮ̀ͧ҉̯̯͜e͙̟̮̻̗͑̔̃̒̐ͫ́̓̚.̄̍̋͂͌̊̂̎͝҉̤͇̭ͅ.̻̦͇̒ͩ̋̇̓̍.͐ͬ̂̆ͤ̒̑ͣ͢҉̹̖̥͔̬ų̩̺̪̦͇̯̘̩ͣͩ̈́͢.̧̱̻̖̱̹̣̰͖̋̊̆̌̀̃́͢.ͯͬͣ̎̾ͪ̄҉̤̙̝̙͚̺̙s̻̞̺͛͜.̴̪̣̫̈́͑̊̀̑ͦ̾̎͛ͅp̑҉̴̨͕͕͖͔͔l̨̜̝͈͐ͭ͊̿ͥ͛e̙̭̣̝͚̭̘̱͆ͫ̊ͤ̈ͬ̈́̆͟ã̡̨͍̱͕̹̮̯͋̆͐̑̋ͬ.̴̪͈̗̳̬ͣͭ̈́͋͋͡.̺̥̫̝̼̮̲ͬ̽͟͡ṣ̝͍̱͖͕̍ͬ̄̽̆͌͐̌̕͢ę̣̼͊͑ͦ͗̓̊̚͟͞.̸̢̤͖̯͐ͪͬ̽̂̇̅̀̚.̢̗̝̟̊̽͢

  
Korra gulped, feeling every sound, every syllable of what was said carving itself into the periphery of her awareness, broken, shaky, struggled. Was it asking her for help? For a moment she just stood there, staring. The Chi Eater hadn’t moved, still standing there, quiet, calm, and hesitantly, Korra got back on her feet and inched closer to it. All of the terrible energy she could feel from it before was gone now, replaced by overwhelming grief and sadness. Overwhelmed by emotions that weren’t her own, Korra began to cry.

“I…” The words died in her throat. It was asking her to save it. To  _ free _ it. But from what? Korra had no clue what to say, what to ask. This was completely at odds with everything it had done up until this point. The people it’d killed, the power that it radiated, the laughter with which it taunted her mere moments earlier… was this really the same spirit?

Suddenly, the Chi Eater began to move, slowly pulling its body back and inhaling deeply. Korra thought perhaps it was going to speak again, but in the blink of her eyes, everything had returned to normal. They were back in the ring, Korra’s sadness was gone, and the Chi Eater looked very,  _ very  _ angry.

“What?!” Korra yelped, disoriented by the sudden change, looking around more confused than ever. She was back? This was the arena, she was on the ring, but the Chi Eater, where was…? Then, from the corner of her eye, she could see it – the Chi Eater was rearing back with another deep, sharp inhale. Korra whipped her head around and hurriedly threw her arms back up in front of her to Firebend in self-defense, but it was too late.

The Chi Eater screamed and wailed as it lunged forward, mere inches from Korra’s face, its mouth opening up like a flower. Korra closed her eyes, her teeth clenched. Inky black blots of its revolting form flew out like saliva. Drops like these fell from all over its body as it ran forward, collecting into pools beneath it. They  radiated its sickening energy, but disappeared soon after they were created. No matter how much fell, there always seemed to be more of it, and the creature never seemed to lose any mass. 

She had no time to react before she was thrown off of the ring. On contact with Korra’s flesh, the droplets of ‘saliva’ left chemical-like burns she felt sear her skin as she blacked out. But just as with what pooled below the Chi Eater, they quickly disappeared before doing any further harm. She unceremoniously crashed into the water below and sank like a stone, unconscious.

“Korra!” Tenzin cried, reorienting his flight path to dive down and check on her, while Bolin and Ryuuki finally landed in the ring to take on the Chi Eater in his and Korra’s stead. Ravi followed suit a couple of seconds later, a few more pieces of the balcony preceding him as he launched in a manner not too dissimilar from Bolin. The Chi Eater cracked the ring with its tail, its eyes settling on its latest prey.

Now that it was done with its little staring contest with the Avatar, it no longer seemed content to just stand around. The battle had officially begun.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
Down in what pro bending commentators would affectionately refer to as ‘the drink’, it was the gentle thump of Korra’s head against the bottom of the pool that woke her. Gasping for air, she only swallowed water, choking and immediately bending her way out of the pool and onto the concrete platform beneath the pro bending ring. Coughing up ice-cold water from her lungs, Korra struggled to catch her breath, every gasp for air like shards of glass in her chest.

It hadn’t even touched her yet, and already it felt like the Chi Eater had fractured one of her ribs. Wincing with pain, she continued to cough, slumping against one of the support pillars to nurse her wounds with her Waterbending. If it was just a fracture, she’d be able to heal it quickly enough to get back up there, especially if she took a quick dip into the Avatar State in the process. Her eyes flashed white and water around her hand began to glow, pulled from ‘the drink’ beside her to heal her wounds.

“Korra!”

Looking up, the Avatar saw Tenzin gliding down to meet her, landing on the platform a few feet in front of her. Immediately, he ran to her aide, asking her if she was okay.

“I’m fine, I just got sucker-punched is all,” She assured, the glow around her hand subsiding. Her breaths didn’t feel so sharp and painful anymore. Fully healed or not, it was good enough for her, at least for now. It didn’t stop her head from aching any, though, a pain that had reappeared once the one in her chest faded away. Every time she heard the Chi Eater attack above, her head pulsed. She didn’t remember feeling anything like this from Vaatu or his dark spirits… 

“You seemed to lock up almost as quickly as you landed. Did something happen up there?”

“That’s what I’d like to know…” Korra mumbled, rubbing the side of her head in an attempt to assuage her headache. Really though, what  _ did _ happen up there? One second it seemed like the Chi Eater was begging her to save it, and the next it was throwing her from the ring. Was any of that even real? “As soon as I looked it in its eyes, everything went black, and it was just me and the Chi Eater. But it seemed so… sad.”

“…Sad?” Tenzin asked. From his perspective, it just seemed incredibly angry. 

“I don’t know, maybe it was some sort of hallucination, maybe it can play tricks with people’s minds.” Korra thought aloud. Maybe her status as the Avatar left her vulnerable to some sort of spiritual attack they hadn’t anticipated. It was a possibility that put Tenzin even more on-edge.

“If it can, then it’s a lot more dangerous than we thought.” He frowned, looking up at the ring above. Small pieces of debris fell to the floor as it shook under the stress of the battle.

“I don’t know, it just felt so real…” Korra sighed. Nothing about this spirit made any sense to her. From the pain it caused her to the genuine delight it seemed to take in killing, to the way it was now toying with them… in every instance, it acted more human than anything else, and it made her wonder what could’ve been responsible for turning it into what it was today. What could mangle a spirit so thoroughly like that? What could prompt it to start acting so un-spirit-like?

Another scream by the Chi Eater rang out from above, and Korra covered her ears, her head pounding once again. Immediately she wanted to get back up there and take the fight back to the Chi Eater, but something stopped her – something familiar. “…Raava?”

“What?” Tenzin asked, suddenly a lot more confused.

“I just felt Raava’s energy suddenly… I think… I think she wants to talk.” Korra replied, a little shocked. All this time, she’d never even thought to try and contact her. She didn’t even know it was possible in the physical world. Talking to her past lives would’ve been one thing, but… if she was right about this, then she wasn’t going to just ignore it. “Tenzin, go help Bolin and the others hold the Chi Eater off. No matter what you do, don’t let it come down here. I’m going to meditate and see if I can’t talk to Raava.”

Tenzin deferred to the Avatar’s instincts on this one, nodding and gliding back up to the arena above.

Closing her eyes, Korra exhaled, sitting now in the lotus position. Blocking out the pulsing pain of the Chi Eater’s presence, the Avatar calmed her mind, entering into a meditative state and focusing in on Raava’s energy. She followed it down, deep inside her soul, and before she knew it, she found herself standing in front of the Spirit of Light.

As with the Chi Eater a couple of moments prior, the world around her melted away until it was just them, but unlike before, she felt less sad or afraid and more at peace. It was completely different from the time she’d managed to contact Aang, and at first, she was a little confused, but quickly settled in to the experience. Bowing, she addressed the spirit that stood in front of her.

“ _ Raava, I’m so glad to see you…” _ Korra began, not really sure what to say, or why she’d suddenly called out to her like that. But she was happy.

“ _ I am always with you, Korra. Now that no other Avatar spirit stands between us, you may connect with me at any time.” _ Raava explained. Korra closed her eyes, smiling and letting out a small sigh of relief. She almost wanted to cry. All this time, she thought she was alone. She’d only just reconnected with Raava a couple weeks ago, and up until now, she only ever really felt her presence when she entered into the Avatar State. She thought that was the only time that she and Raava could connect. But this… maybe she didn’t have to be the Avatar all on her own, after all.

Opening her eyes, Korra returned to the matter at hand. She couldn’t afford to waste any time. Raava must’ve wanted to talk to her for a reason, and now that she knew she was here, there was a lot about this Chi Eater that Korra wanted to ask about.  _ “Raava… what is this thing? Was any of what just happened to me real?” _

“ _ Do not second guess yourself, Korra. What you experienced was very real.” _ Raava confirmed. Korra wasn’t sure if she was more relieved to know it wasn’t some delusion, or confused that such a seemingly evil spirit would ask her for her help.  _ “When it reached out to you, I could feel its suffering, and its true nature. Mutilated though it may be, it is in fact a spirit, and a very ancient, powerful one at that.” _

“ _ Is that why you wanted to talk to me…?” _ Korra asked. Raava nodded, or at least made the closest approximation to a nod that her body would allow.

“ _ Yes. The blackness that you saw is not unlike the space that we are in now. Only, while this space is  _ **_your_ ** _ soul, that darkness is the Chi Eater’s.” _ Raava explained. So… she had connected with the spirit’s soul? Korra didn’t know she could do that. That was… actually kinda cool.  _ “I do not know what could have happened to corrupt it so thoroughly, but it feels unnatural. Whatever caused this spirit to become what you saw ripped it apart from the inside out in doing so, and it has left it incredibly unstable.” _

“ _ What do you mean ‘unstable’?” _

“ _ It feels as though it’s only hanging on by a thread, as if its mind isn’t all there. I’m also unable to get a clear sense of it. Even now, when I am certain of its location above us, I feel a degree of uncertainty, almost as though its energy is bouncing around between multiple sources at once and being twisted up and manipulated by something. In truth, it almost feels as if it is not one, but multiple spirits.” _

“ _ Multiple…? No wonder it feels so much worse than Vaatu. Even he was just one spirit.”  _ Korra thought aloud. Raava neither confirmed nor denied the assumption, being that she wasn’t entirely sure herself. _ “If this thing can eat the chi of humans and spirits though, and it feels like it’s made up of multiple spirits… do you think that maybe everybody it’s ever killed could still be inside it, somewhere? That maybe they managed to take control of it, and that’s why it asked us for our help?” _

“ _ That would require that it can eat their souls, as well.” _ Raava pointed out. Korra nodded. Raava fell silent for a moment, thinking it over.

Merging one’s soul with another’s was one thing – that was how she and Wan created the Avatar all those thousands of years ago, after all – but forcibly extracting one and taking it into one’s own was something else entirely. Assuming it could extract a spirit’s or a person’s soul along with their chi, such an unwilling fusion would be inherently unstable. She couldn’t fathom why a spirit would want to do that to itself. But she was beginning to think that maybe Korra was onto something.

“… _ I do not know for sure. A spirit’s soul and energy are very closely intertwined, so it may very well be consuming the souls of other spirits. But for humans, there’s a certain degree of separation created by their bodies that would make this impossible. This is why it can be difficult for a human to achieve perfect harmony between their mind, body, and spirit. But yes. I suppose that for fellow spirits, it may be possible. I just don’t understand why.” _ Raava acquiesced with a mixture of confusion and frustration.

“ _ So it’s probably just stealing chi when it eats humans, but entire spirits when it eats them…” _ Korra repeated, her mind beginning to wander. If all this were true, then she couldn’t help but wonder how many spirits it’d eaten in its lifetime, and how intact they were inside of it, if at all. But if there was anything left behind, then maybe  _ that _ was what caused the Chi Eater to reach out to her like that. Maybe that was the key to bringing it down. Raava continued, pulling Korra back from her thoughts.

“ _ It is drawing tremendous amounts of power from all the chi that it has eaten, that much I can tell for certain, but it seems barely able to contain it all. I just can’t understand why a spirit, of all creatures, would seek such destructive capability at the expense of its own soul. It seems more like something your kind would seek to do… no offense.” _

Korra laughed.  _ “No, I agree, I’ve been thinking the same thing. Everything I’ve seen and heard about this spirit seems strangely human to me, even the way it seemed to be taunting us with our attacks.” _ She reassured. _ “Do you think maybe a human could have corrupted it somehow, and that’s why it’s acting so weird? Like Unalaq did during Harmonic Convergence?” _

“ _ No. That man’s technique simply promotes the flow of positive or negative chi within a spirit. It can purify one that’s been corrupted by bringing its positive chi back to the surface, helping it regain control of itself and purge itself of its impurities, or calming it should it be angered. Or, it can promote the flow of negative chi and mess with a spirit’s mental fortitude, to make it more susceptible to its anger or to an outside influence. Unalaq did not create corrupted spirits, but rather made them more susceptible to Vaatu’s power and influence.” _

“ _ So, its messed up state is something it did to itself by eating others’ chi, then?” _

“ _ More than likely, yes. I cannot conceive of a way a human could corrupt a spirit in the manner you are suggesting. While its behavior is certainly strange, it is probably the spirit’s own.” _

Korra frowned. That meant it probably wasn’t the Chi Eater itself that was calling out to her, though even Raava couldn’t seem to say for sure. But whatever had prompted it to do that, it only made her more determined. _ “Either way, if this theory’s right, and it really has been eating spirits’ souls, then maybe if I pin it down, I can use Unalaq’s purification ritual to bring them to the surface. Maybe they can help undo the damage that it’s done to itself. Maybe I’ll be able to not only stop it, but save it from completely destroying itself, too.” _

If it were possible, Raava would’ve been smiling right now. It touched her soul to see such kindness in her Avatars. Even after all it had done and all the grief it had caused her, Korra was talking about  _ saving _ the Chi Eater as opposed to killing it, though she knew her avatar had resolved herself to do just that, should she need to. Raava was proud of her. She just wished she knew if such a thing were truly possible.

“ _ Korra… you are very kind, but I don’t know if what reached out to you is fully sentient anymore. I don’t even know if it was the Chi Eater itself or an echo of the spirits it has eaten. But even if the Chi Eater can be purified, even if it was the one that called out to you and you can somehow save it from what it’s done to itself, the spirits it has eaten may no longer be salvageable, let alone complete.” _ Raava warned. Korra nodded sadly.

“ _ I know… but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try.  _ **_Something_ ** _ inside of it begged us for our help. I can’t just ignore that without doing something.” _ Korra declared. Raava happily agreed.

“ _ Then let us go, Korra. Let us save this sad spirit from its suffering, in whatever way we can.” _

In that moment, Korra’s consciousness returned to her body, her eyes snapping open. She could hear the sounds of everybody bending above and wondered how long she had spent meditating. According to Tenzin, when she connected with the Chi Eater, it didn’t seem to take any time at all, even though for her it felt like a couple of minutes, at least. Korra could only hope it was the same with Raava and she hadn’t left her friends to fend for themselves for too long.

Armed with what she felt to be a better understanding of her enemy, Korra was more determined than ever to put a stop to the Chi Eater’s rampage. She shook off the head-ringing pain of yet another scream and rose back to her feet. Taking a deep breath, she jumped back into the water she’d been knocked into earlier. Diving as deep as she could, Korra switched into the Avatar state at the bottom of ‘the drink’.

Bending the water around her into a violently rotating vortex beneath her, Korra ascended high into the air until she was overlooking the entire pro bending arena. From there she could see Tenzin, Ravi, Bolin and Ryuuki struggling to lay a hit on the ever-elusive Chi Eater, the corrupted spirit making use of its malleable body to weave and contort around almost every attack thrown in its direction.

The only one who seemed to be making any headway was Ravi, whose continuous bending of earthen discs was entirely ignored by the Chi Eater until he started aiming for its head, trying to distract it long enough that somebody else could land a substantial hit. Thankfully, it was enough to provide cover for Bolin, who was now making his way around the spirit in order to blindside it with his Lavabending. He could only hope this would prove more effective than their Earthbending.

He had two Earthbending discs floating behind his back, and liquefied them into lava when he was sure he was out of the creature’s line of sight. He was hoping that from behind it, with everyone else keeping it busy from the front (and Ryu from above, who had suddenly appeared screaming something about how the Chi Eater ruined his mover night), he’d be able to lop off its tail or maybe a limb or two before it realized he’d disappeared. Unfortunately for him, however, it didn’t need to see him to know  _ exactly _ where he was.

As it had with Korra at the start of the fight, the creature could feel Bolin’s chi before he even used it to bend, following him with minimal difficulty as he tried to creep around it. Then, just when Bolin thought that maybe he had given it the slip, the Chi Eater lashed out with its tail, catching him in its grip before he could throw an attack, and Bolin released his hold. As he was swung up into the air by the dark spirit’s tail, the discs re-solidified and fell harmlessly to the ground.

The Chi Eater was intending to smash him face-first into the ring when it suddenly took notice of the massive amount of chi welling up behind it. It had missed Korra’s sudden emergence from the water. The spirit’s eyes traveled around its ‘head’ to glare in the Avatar’s direction, and upon catching sight of her, it uncoiled its tail, letting Bolin fall helplessly to the ground. Thankfully, Ryu caught him in a cushion of air before he was hurt.

Tenzin, Ravi and Ryuuki, meanwhile, prepared to attack in unison, hoping to capitalize on its attention on Korra to do some sort of damage to it. But the Chi Eater replied with the leisurely swing of an arm, a movement accompanied by a terrible shockwave not unlike Airbending that knocked the three benders off of their feet. The spirit looked on with fascination as Korra lowered to be about level with the ring, now carrying with her two more waterspout-like constructions on either side of her.

It seemed amused by her tenacity, and even more so by the fact that she thought she could hurt it, and its body turned around independent of its head so that it could properly face her. Screaming defiantly, it challenged her to come, and she screamed right back at it in turn, sending the two waterspouts careening into the Chi Eater with incredible force. Excited by the prospect of dueling the Avatar, it made no efforts to avoid her attack.

The twin vortexes raged louder than a waterfall, turning into drills that were meant to bore deep into the Chi Eater’s body, and the spirit welcomed the Avatar’s challenge. The first met resistance from the Chi Eater’s left hand, its arm swinging up to catch it before it could collide with its body, gripping onto it tight. The water drilled violently into its palm, inky black flecks of its ‘flesh’ being torn apart and strewn about by the force, but it had managed to stop a clean hit.

Then came the second attack, even quicker than the first. The Chi Eater tried to catch it too with its right arm, but to no avail, and it connected directly with its side. It ripped into the spirit’s body and managed to push its large form, forcing the first vortex deeper into its left hand. So deep, in fact, that it pierced through entirely, the first drill connecting with the spirit’s opposite side so that it was now being pressured from both.

But the Chi Eater showed no fear, accepting each blow as if to taunt the Avatar again. A low, grumbling, laughter-like sound took the place of what should have been screams, and the Chi Eater collapsed into a formless black puddle on the ground.

“What?!” Korra yelped in surprise, the puddle slinking away while her drills collided harmlessly with one another, canceling each other out. The water pooled naturally in and around the grates built into the ring for pro benders, grates which the Chi Eater puddle ignored. Then, it simply willed itself back into being, the puddle rising back into the spirit’s distorted body, and the top of its head – its mouth – opening up.

At first, Korra stood motionless in her cyclone, staring, the shock of the Chi Eater’s method of escape having pushed her out of the Avatar State and into a stunned state of disbelief. But then she saw the light that had appeared deep in the creature’s ‘throat’, and the brightening glow around the tips of its petal-like jaws. It was aiming itself directly at Korra, and an all-too familiar feeling was filling the air.

She knew what was coming, but was astonished that the Chi Eater could manage it. Perhaps all the chi it had eaten had given it more power after all, an endless well of energy to call upon whenever things got too sticky. Or maybe it was a trait it just happened to share with Vaatu as a similarly ‘ancient and powerful’ spirit. Whatever the case, it was bad – very,  _ very _ bad.

As energy pooled into the core of the Chi Eater’s body, the spirit began to bloat and distort, inflating and sizzling in places as though it were barely able to contain all of the power it was building up. The glow from its core grew brighter and brighter while the creature tracked a terrified Korra’s movements as she tried to escape from the dark spirit’s sights. Then, it attacked.

She had just barely managed to throw herself out of harm’s way and onto the ring when a blinding blue beam of pure spiritual energy was discharged from the Chi Eater’s form, a devastating blast on par with anything Vaatu or Kuvira’s weapon had ever managed to dish out. It collided with the stands and the wall at the opposite end of the arena, vaporizing all it came into contact with, and a deafening thunderous rumble reverberated through the building as the beam slowly tapered off in conclusion.

The large, smoldering hole left in its wake was slightly wider than expected, showing that it had still tried to follow the Avatar’s movements while she jumped out of its way. Not only could it manage to fire off Spirit Beams, it was also capable of at least slightly directing their ire while doing so.

Korra and her friends were left terrified and speechless while the spirit was left reeling from the effects of its own attack. It was literally recomposing itself while she, Ravi, Ryu, Ryuuki, Bolin and Tenzin – all panting and at their wits end – tried to come up with a new plan of attack. The Chi Eater’s glow had also dimmed considerably and ceased pulsating while it rebuilt the missing pieces of its body, transforming pure spiritual energy into matter using its vast reserves of chi.

“Ohhh, this isn’t looking too good for us…” Ryuuki thought aloud, staggering backwards a couple of steps after seeing what it had just done to the VIP balcony. To call the situation dire would have been an understatement. They were desperately in need of more benders, but Ryuuki was beginning to wonder if any number of them would be able to make a difference.

“Korra, please tell me you and Raava came up with a plan…” Tenzin begged, keeping his wide eyes focused on the Chi Eater as its head finished reforming. It had now turned its body back around to face them, the blue glow returning to its usual brightness once its eyes reappeared. It was already good to go for round two.

“…Sort of… I have an idea, at least. We just need to keep this thing pinned down long enough that I can try it.” Korra replied. It wasn’t exactly reassuring, but it was something. It was also easier said than done. Seeing as nothing they had thrown at it had fazed it so far, pinning it down seemed like the least likely outcome of this battle. Worse still, she had already missed a perfect opportunity to try and purify it with Unalaq’s technique while it was rebuilding itself.

Her fear had gotten the best of her, and now the spirit was poised to attack once again, growling low. Bolin liquefied two more Earthbending discs behind him in preparation for a counterattack while Korra and the rest of her friends prepared themselves for whatever was coming, when suddenly a bolt of lightning collided with the spirit’s back.

The Chi Eater screamed, not with an attack, but out of agony, arching its body and taking a few steps forward in pain. A hole had been burned into its back, and unlike any of the attacks from before, this one was taking a while for the Chi Eater to heal. It was reaching back to grab its wound, pieces of its flesh dripping from its fingertips and into the hole, slowly beginning the process of closing it up.

Taking this as their opportunity to join the fray, Mako and Lin swung in on one of the police chief’s metal cables, landing just a few feet in front of Korra and co and taking up position alongside them. They finally got their first good, long look at the Chi Eater while doing so.

“Sorry we’re late, but Raiko and the others are safe now.” Mako announced, his eyes fixed onto the Chi Eater. He was already taking notes about how he might be able to fight it. Most importantly, it seemed to be vulnerable to lightning.

Korra was relieved to hear that everyone was safe, but confused that Mako had actually managed to actually get a hit in. Before he had shown up, the Chi Eater didn’t seem to have any problem tracking and predicting everybody around it, but now it seemed to be struggling to keep up. Was it simply distracted by them, or did it have something to do with that Spirit Beam it had just fired off?

“ _ Spirits _ , that is one  _ ugly _ mother…” Lin remarked, visibly disgusted by the unusual form of her first dark spirit encounter. So this was what had killed all of her men outside, was it?

“Lin! Did anybody die in that last attack? My kids, are they okay? What about Pema?” Tenzin asked, immediately bombarding her with questions before she had even managed to get her bearings.

“They’re fine, don’t worry. I left them and Asami in charge of the evacuees as soon as that last attack tore through the building. We’re lucky it went over everybody’s heads, but we can’t let it fire off any more in case it gets lucky.”

“Or worse, damages more of the city.” Mako tacked on.

“Ha… ha…” With its sudden laughter, everybody’s focus returned to the Chi Eater. Labored and guttural though it was, this was perhaps its clearest response yet. It apparently found something about the situation it found itself in – eight against one, now – fairly amusing. “Now this… is fun…” It struggled, a chill running down Korra’s spine as it spoke. Something about its voice seemed familiar to her.

“Long time… this many benders… and  _ Avatar _ …” It had faced the Avatar before? Though its speech was fragmented and inexperienced, that certainly seemed to be what it was implying. “You all die… become part of  _ Us _ …” It wished, pointing to the eight benders gathered in front of it. While most of them shrunk back in fear, with notable exception to Lin and Ravi, Korra stepped forward defiantly, demanding answers.

“Why are you doing this?!” She began, clearly unfazed by the Chi Eater’s declaration. The spirit seemed impressed. “You have to know what all of this is doing to your body, your soul… why are you stealing spirits’ and humans’ chi and absorbing it into yourself?” Though her voice was firm, it was also tinged with concern, something that had caught Ryuuki’s attention in particular. She wasn’t actually trying to reason with this thing, was she? But the Chi Eater laughed, its eyes refusing to look in the Avatar’s direction as it mustered up an answer.

“Need not know… only die.” With its intentions made clear, the hole in its back completely closed up, the Chi Eater’s form shifting slightly. Spiky protrusions sprung out of its back and down along where its spine would be, and the spindly portions of its limbs suddenly bulked up with a pulse of energy – though its joints still seemed unusually thin. Its tail extended slightly, growing somewhat thicker in the process, and the mouth-like pattern on its body grew more jagged.

It seemed to be trying to make itself appear more threatening, or possibly redirecting more of its chi into powering up its body. Whatever the case, it clearly wasn’t keen on giving any answers. Korra was just going to have to fight and pray that Unalaq’s Spiritbending technique could pacify and purify this thing. Slamming the ring with its tail, the Chi Eater shook the platform, and the battle had officially resumed.

Everybody was summarily knocked off their feet, and an incoming physical attack was quickly diverted by the combined power of Korra, Ryu and Tenzin’s Airbending, catching the Chi Eater and throwing it off to the side. It refused to be knocked off of the ring however, stiffening its tail and shooting it into the ring to keep it anchored and pulling itself back down with another quake concurrent with its landing.

“Everybody keep putting pressure on it, we have to try and pin it down!” Korra shouted, getting back up and running in the Chi Eater’s direction. In response to Korra’s call to arms, the false mouth patterned on the Chi Eater’s body morphed into a grin. It would like to see them try.

Mako, Bolin and Ryuuki immediately ran to back up Korra, but Ravi, Lin and the Airbenders stayed behind, at least at first. Ravi in particular seemed to have turned his focus elsewhere, grabbing Lin’s attention before she ran off to join in the fight, too.

“Chief Beifong, you’re a pretty strong Earthbender, right?” He asked. She almost seemed offended by the question. Ravi laughed at the look on her face; it was all the response he needed. “It seems we’ve got ourselves a nasty little bug here. Think you could help me find something to crush it with?” Ravi motioned his head over to the area of the arena the Chi Eater had already heavily damaged with its Spirit Beam, and Lin immediately caught on to what he was getting at.

“I like the way you think. Should be doable.” She smirked. It wasn’t going to be easy with just the two of them, but if the others could keep it busy, maybe it wouldn’t notice them taking out a massive piece of the stadium – balconies, seats and all – and readied to drop it on the disgusting thing. The two Earthbenders shared a nod and headed off for the stands, leaving the Chi Eater to the rest of their friends for now.

Two large blasts of air followed up Korra’s most recent attack from her right and left sides, Ryu and Tenzin releasing all the power they could muster in the spirit’s direction. It raised its arms in front of it to guard against the attack, sliding back a couple inches. Momentary dents were left in its ‘flesh’, but it appeared otherwise unharmed. 

“Air… weak…” It retorted, swatting Ryu and Tenzin away with a swing of its arm.

Korra managed to duck in time, and Bolin and Ryuuki were out of its range, but Tenzin and Ryu bore the brunt of it, an invisible shockwave sweeping the two of them off their feet and throwing them clear across the ring. But they quickly got back up and continued bending, hitting it with blast after blast, trying to keep up the pressure.

At the same time, Korra, Mako and Ryuuki started Firebending together in unison, the roar of their flames adding to the consistent barrage of pressurized air, prompting the Chi Eater to shield itself with its arms again. Though it was weathering the attacks, it wasn’t doing too well countering under constant fire. Meanwhile, Lin and Ravi had already managed to dislodge a sizable piece of the stadium.

Thankfully, the Chi Eater had its back to them and didn’t see it, but Korra did, and she almost couldn’t believe her eyes at the sight of it. Those two really were something. In that moment, she, Mako and Ryuuki shared the same idea, resolving to keep the Chi Eater distracted and focused on  _ their _ bending while Ravi and Lin did their thing.

The Chi Eater growled, the steady barrage of Air and Fire beginning to have an effect. It had completely lost sight of Bolin at this point and could barely focus on its surroundings under all of the pressure, and it was starting to lose patience. The wounds that were being left were shallow at best, but they were definitely distracting. The Chi Eater was forced to withdraw into itself as it had apparently bit off a bit more than it could chew, unable to escape the steady stream of attacks as easily as it had assumed.

Then, the benders stopped, trading out repeated blasts of fire for a seamless transition into steady streams instead, intending to keep the spirit pinned down and coiling in on itself while Lin and Ravi’s trump card inched ever closer. They were visibly straining to move the massive chunk of stone, but it was more than half way there, now.

While the Chi Eater suffered under their flames, Korra couldn’t help but be amazed by Ryuuki’s, whose color she hadn’t noted up until now. “Blue…?” She asked, surprised not only by the hue of his flames, but also by the explosiveness of his prior blasts and the intense heat that radiated from his stream. Even from a good ten feet away, the heat that she felt radiating off of Ryuuki’s flames was as intense at ten feet as an ordinary Firebender’s were at ten inches.

“You know a Lavabender, and blue fire is what surprises you?” Ryuuki asked with a smirk, turning up the heat as he doubled down on the Chi Eater.

“It’s rare, but it happens. I’ve never actually seen it before, but rumor has it Lord Zuko’s sister had it too.” Mako remarked from Korra’s other side.

“No relation,” Ryuuki quickly asserted. “But the hair and eyes make sense now, eh?” He grinned. His hair was clearly Varri-dyed, yeah, but his eyes were fake too? Varri-contacts or something, maybe? Korra had heard about something similar before, but they were still pretty rare. “We can chat about the fire color spectrum later though, I think we just pissed this thing off!”

Immediately following Ryuuki’s warning, the Chi Eater retaliated, roaring in anger and swatting away the sea of fire that had been licking its flesh until now. The three Firebenders braced themselves for impact as another wave of distorted air rushed straight for them, colliding with their arms and chests and knocking them off of their feet once again. But this alone wouldn’t be enough to save the Chi Eater from their assault, as Bolin launched his attack from behind them.

He had been waiting for the right moment to attack, and he figured this was it. Judging by its surprised reaction, the Chi Eater hadn’t even noticed that he had been standing there, caught completely off guard as the Lavabent discs were swung into its flesh. Spinning rapidly like saws, they were aimed for the spirit’s left arm and tail, and both were direct hits.

The Chi Eater shrieked in pain, the first of Bolin’s discs digging itself half-way into its bulked up arm, while the second succeeded in lopping its tail clean off. Enraged, the creature arched its back and quickly lunged forward like it had with Korra earlier, letting out a second, even louder scream intent on shattering every bone in Bolin’s body. It was a shock wave more powerful, and hence visible, than any before.

“WOAH CRAP!” Bolin yelped, shutting his eyes and raising his arms in front of him in defense. He had pulled up a few pro bending discs in front of as added support, but didn’t think they would be of much help. But before the shockwave could hit, a sudden burst of air from his right sent him flying out of the way of the Chi Eater’s attack and sliding across the ring. It was a bit of a rough landing, and he was probably bruised now, but it was better than being shattered like a glass figurine. “Ugh, thanks Ryu…” Bolin groaned, standing back up.

“Whatever, just don’t let up!” The Airbender replied, uncharacteristically, but understandably, pumped up given the circumstances. Bolin simply nodded, calling yet another two discs and superheating them with a thought. It seemed that his element was perfect for really laying the hurt onto this thing. While this was definitely good news for the benders, it also meant that for Bolin, the Chi Eater would likely be a lot more focused on him than it was before.

“Annoying… bugs…” The Chi Eater snarled, visibly growing frustrated. These humans were unnaturally persistent. Bolin was now coming at it from its right, and Tenzin and Ryu were volleying it with powerful Airbending blasts from its left in preparation for this, trying to push it in the Lavabender’s direction. More dents were left in the benders’ wake, and it was gradually shoved closer to Bolin, who had now combined his two lava discs into one larger, even faster rotating one.

Then, Mako and Ryuuki applied more pressure from the Chi Eater’s front, channeling and then firing bolts of lightning at its head while Korra briefly accessed the Avatar State to bring up another watery drill like she had earlier on. The Chi Eater seemed less prone to dodging now, and it had been wounded at least twice. She was hopeful her attack would have more of an effect this time. What’s more, Ravi and Lin had finally managed to levitate their chunk of the arena over the Chi Eater’s head – a fact that did not go unnoticed by the dark spirit.

“Weak…” It declared, allowing the Lightning, Lava and Water to impact its body. That giant slab of concrete was a far more pressing matter in its mind, and it appeared to be too dense for it to be shattered with another scream. So the spirit accepted the two shallow holes burned into its head, and allowed Bolin’s disc to start ripping into its side. It even let Korra use her drill to pressure it into Bolin’s Lavabending for added effect, deciding that the best option right now would be to just move out of the way.

The Chi Eater grabbed Bolin’s disc, digging its hand into its side and tearing the liquefied rock from its own ‘flesh’. Then, it fired its hand from its arm, like some sort of projectile, sacrificing it to turn the lava against one of its opponents. Its body began to blur and distort, and it prepared to dart to its right in order avoid being crushed. 

But it couldn’t.

The Chi Eater grunted in confusion and Korra flashed a cocky smirk, motioning with her head for the Chi Eater to look down. Her earlier Waterbending attack may not have been successful at first, but it had filled the Waterbending channels within the ring without the Chi Eater giving it a second thought. Unbeknownst to the spirit, she’d planned for this all along.

Korra had expected it to try to evade Lin and Ravi’s attack and had transformed this water into ice, cementing the spirit into place by holding it down at its feet. She was simultaneously bending it along with the water, the frost crawling further up its form. The layer was  _ just _ thick enough that it had no time to break free. Ravi and Lin had released their hold and the Chi Eater braced itself for what was to come.

As the enormous block of cement crashed down, the entirety of the man-made island shook, and a huge cloud of dust rose from the rubble. In truth, they were lucky the support pillars didn’t collapse underneath them.

Though the dust had yet to settle, it seemed to have been effective. The Chi Eater was smashed, pieces of its body splattered on the the debris. But they knew better than to celebrate - against a spirit, no amount of concussive force would be able to bring it down. At the very least, they hoped the impact would keep it down long enough for Korra to do her thing. Knowing they had no time to lose, and that they couldn’t take their eyes off of it, Korra and the two Airbenders cleared all the resulting dust from the area.

“Everybody stay on guard, that’s not going to kill it!” Korra warned. As the dust cleared away, her intuition was proven correct – the Chi Eater was already starting to reform.

An inky black goo with that same azure glow was beginning to ooze its way through the cracks and spaces in-between the debris. It slowly gathered  into a singular lump at the center in which a featureless blue eye blinked furiously. Its glow seemed to be absent. 

It had been rendered weak enough for Korra to finally try and perform the purification ritual while it was struggling to pull itself back together. As she pulled up water from below, a high-pitched, glass like hum resonated through the air. A golden yellow glow ran along the streams of water, swirling around the pile of rubble in a double helix formation. The battlefield was quiet now, surrounded in a solemn atmosphere, and Korra’s eyes flashed white. The ritual had begun.

“Gigigigigigigigi...” The Chi Eater clicked, its reformation stuttering and slowing in response to Korra’s technique. It could feel its energy shifting slightly in response to this power, just as Korra could in turn feel what Raava meant about the spirit’s energy seeming to be twisted up and manipulated. The pain that she had felt every time it drew near suddenly made sense. There was far more spiritual power knotted up in its core than she could ever have imagined. It really did feel like it was made up of multiple spirits.

Korra grit her teeth and dug in her heels. This twisted up energy was making it especially difficult for her Spiritbending to work. It should have been a simple process of promoting positive energy and hindering negative, but she couldn’t tell where one energy pathway ended and another began. They stopped and started and skipped over segments she could’ve sworn were one in the same, and all of it felt a little different from the rest.

She was doing her best to guide the spirit’s energy, but it had effectively cocooned itself within the chi of others. Puzzle solving wasn’t exactly Korra’s forte, but she was persistent. If Asami could do it, why couldn’t she? She dug in deeper and continued to push, to try and resolve the chaos, but to no avail. This was getting her nowhere, and she didn’t have much time before it reformed. Giving up, she decided to switch gears. If she couldn’t do it that way, she’d do it hers.

Choosing to stop trying to navigate the mess of energies, she condensed the watery helix and dove deeper down into the creature until she’d found what she thought to be its core, the spirit at the center of it all. She was trying her hardest to coax it into a more docile state, hoping to approach the creature to get a better chance at extracting its ill-gotten chi. To be honest, Korra wasn’t sure she would make it. She was hoping for help from Raava, or even the Chi Eater itself, at least whatever parts of it called out to her for help earlier. 

Every one had expected it to have stopped moving by now, but defiantly, its form continued to ooze up from beneath the debris, as if Korra’s technique wasn’t having any effect on it at all. In fact, the creature was so strong-willed, it actually seemed to be bending its own energy back faster than Korra could heal it! It was retangling knots where she chose to untangle and corrupting positive energy when she gave up and went for it directly. What’s more, its reformation was speeding up.

This was exactly what Korra was afraid of. It stole others’ chi through Energybending, after all – it made sense that it would be able to resist and bend its own energy in whatever way it wanted. She was starting to feel desperate, wondering if Unalaq’s technique alone was really going to be enough.

Her mind began to race, trying to understand how to counter this. Spiritbending was, technically speaking, a form of Energybending, performed through  Waterbending by those who could heal. But unlike pure Energybending, which involved the wills and spirits of those involved, Spiritbending was a passive technique which simply promoted the flow of positive energy through chi manipulation, having little to no actual force behind it.

Against most spirits, it worked perfectly fine. But the Chi Eater wasn’t like most spirits. It was an angry, human-like, and dangerously powerful Energybender, making it next to impossible to bring positive energy to the surface. If she wanted to get anywhere, then Korra was going to have to Energybend right back at it and force it to comply, whether it wanted to or not.

The idea scared her. She had never really bent energy in this way before. The closest thing she had done was bending a beam of spiritual energy like another one of the elements, ripping open a new Spirit Portal in the process. Trying to reach in and manipulate the energy of another being was uncharted territory for her, but she knew it was possible. 

Now that she knew she could connect with the Chi Eater’s soul from afar, there was no need to make physical contact like Aang had with Ozai and Yakone. Since a spirit is little more than a mass of spiritual energy, she would be able to bend it much more directly.

Trying to keep her focus, she reviewed her options. Unlike Kuvira’s cannon, the Chi Eater was a mass of energy with a will of its own, and it wasn’t going to go down without a fight. It could Energybend, too, and by connecting to its soul, Korra would be opening a pathway that would leave her vulnerable to attacks. It was incredibly risky, but the only move she could think of. She would just have to trust in her abilities as a bender, and in Raava. Knowing she could fall back on her at any time now left her feeling much more confident than she would’ve been otherwise.

According to what Tenzin had learned from Aang and passed down to her, this type of Energybending came down to a battle of wills. The one with the strongest will and purest heart would overtake the other as the weaker one’s energy yielded to their command. The Chi Eater was frighteningly powerful, and it had well over a thousand years of experience, but Korra was the Avatar. She couldn’t afford to back down from the challenge. And besides, she had Raava with her, too. She wouldn’t be doing this alone.

Closing her eyes, Korra gathered all of the strength she had left, and on reopening them, they were filled with an infinitely bright light. Dust and debris around her flew away in a small burst of energy, and she stared the Chi Eater down with renewed vigor. Korra and Raava were now one, and they had no intention of losing. 

With the battle of wills begun, Korra’s expression hardened as she Spiritbent and Energybent simultaneously. The Chi Eater caught on immediately and ceased reconstruction to focus on defending itself, instead. Maybe it could fight back against Korra’s spirit alone, but in the Avatar State, hers and Raava’s spirits combined would be enough to overpower it. Or so she hoped.

The Chi Eater technically wasn’t alone either, but the spirits inside of it weren’t particularly keen on helping it, assuming they were intact enough to do anything in the first place. But more than that, Korra  somehow got the vibe that the Chi Eater’s actions were almost…  _ desperate _ , in a way. Like it had to do this, or something worse would happen to it.

The more Korra focused in on bending its energy, the stronger that impression  became, and it worried her. There was nothing more dangerous than a desperate predator. But she couldn’t afford to back down. Not now.

**“Yield…”** Korra commanded in frustration, her voice intertwined with Raava’s. 

The others had backed away to the other edge of the platform, catching their breath, looking on in tense silence. This was way over their heads now. There was nothing they could do but watch and pray that the Avatar could conquer the Chi Eater. It didn’t take a genius to recognize she was struggling, however, and it didn’t exactly put them at ease. Sweat poured down Korra’s face and her teeth threatened to crack under the pressure with which she clenched them. She was fighting a war on multiple fronts and she had no clue how long she would be able to manage it.

**“Yield!”** She repeated, firmer this time, increasing the pressure she was putting on the spirit. Guided by Raava, Korra drowned out everyone and everything else around her, the world going black until it was just her and the Chi Eater again, but it continued to fight back tooth and nail with an increasing sense of fear and desperation. She began to catch glimpses of the Chi Eater’s thoughts, feelings and memories, their spirits connecting more and more the longer they fought for control.    
  
Korra and Raava’s focus intensified, rage building inside of them as they barely clung to their collective individuality.

“Give up already, would you?!” Ryuuki cried out, looking especially frustrated. “Don’t make us beat your ass down again!”

Bolin gulped, the most worried of the group. He could only watch on helplessly as Korra struggled to bend the healing water around the dark spirit.

Finally, the Chi Eater began to show signs of weakness. The pulsating blue glow that surrounded it was dimming, and pieces of the spirit’s flesh were visibly changing from inky black to golden yellow. It was working.

“Gigigigigigigigi…” The Chi Eater continued to clatter as its form shifted and contorted against its will, jagged and forced like one’s movements caught in Bloodbending. Suddenly, the convulsion stopped and its body froze, sustained in an impossible state. It looked as though time within the confines of the battle had come to a stop. The only indication that the Avatar hadn’t invented Timebending was the strange clicking sound that still emanated from the defeated spirit.

Exiting the Avatar State, Korra let out a sigh of relief and grinned, confident. She could feel its rage relenting, its positive chi increasing. She could–

“GIHIHIHIHIHIHIHI…” The clicking was stronger, for some reason, more distinct… more vocalized. It was beginning to sound like a laugh. Korra’s confidence flickered. Something within the Chi Eater was changing, something neither Korra or Raava had expected. 

“GIHIHIHIHAHAHIAHAHIAHHHAHAIHA…” Korra wasn’t grinning anymore. Where did all of this new strength come from?!

Her progress was fading, the yellow glow was reversing faster and faster, and the pulsating blue one from before had come back with a vengeance, stronger and brighter than before. She couldn’t control anything anymore.   
  
Raava roared from the furthest depths of Korra’s consciousness.   
  
“ _ Korra, look out!” _ __  
__  
She barely had time to understand what was happening. A sudden explosion of pure negative energy shot out from the Chi Eater in what looked like a dome of black electricity. It stretched out and overtook Korra’s Spiritbending water, freezing, shattering, and boiling it away in an instant. It’d canceled out not only the passive influence of the Avatar’s healing, but the active influence of her Energybending, as well, as she’d been using the water as a medium for both. 

Thankfully, Korra had pulled back at the last possible instant, heeding Raava’s warning and retreating before whatever pieces of her spirit that were left inside of that water could be consumed by the negative chi.

Unfortunately, this didn’t save her entirely. As the powerful wave of negative energy washed over her body, Korra’s connection to Raava was forcibly cut off. She couldn’t feel the light spirit’s energy anymore. Before she could call out to her to try and reconnect, inky black tendrils pierced through the rubble, missing her by an inch and catching her by surprise. For a moment they just stood there, stiff, but then they began vibrating wildly, and as they did, she and her friends were thrown off their feet by an invisible,  _ evil _ force.

Korra’s head hit the floor hard. Groaning and rubbing its back, she tried to wrap her head around what the hell had just happened. Not only had a part of the Chi Eater somehow escaped her technique and bent its energy back regardless of the power of the Avatar State, she could feel that it had gained a tremendous boost in power in the process.

But there was more. Korra was overwhelmed by a fear like she hadn’t felt since Zaheer, fear that wasn’t hers. She wasn’t sure who that fear belonged to,  _ what _ it belonged to, but it appeared as soon as the Chi Eater bent its energy back, along with a second, entirely distinct energy signature. To Korra, that could only mean one thing: there was an entirely separate, second spirit perfectly intertwined with the Chi Eater!

“Weak… humans are… Avatar are…” The Chi Eater taunted. With exception to Korra, the benders grew despondent. But Korra was intrigued. She was starting to connect the dots. 

The way she thought it looked sick when she first saw it… the erratic way it’d been acting since the start of the battle…its strangely human behavior… 

As she wondered how all of this could relate to the sudden emergence of a second spirit inside of it, Korra gasped. What if… what if the Chi Eater had been infected with somebody else’s energy? A  _ human’s _ energy.

Raava seemed sincere when she said it was likely that the spirits it consumed were no longer intact, so this couldn’t have been something it’d done to itself, accidentally or otherwise. But if somebody else had forced a foreign energy into it –  _ their _ energy – then suddenly everything about this spirit made more sense. 

It would mean that the spirit that’d called out to her was the  _ real  _ Chi Eater, while that second spirit inside of it that was trying to kill her was whoever had ‘infected’ it a thousand years ago. She had no clue if she was on the right track, if any of this were even possible or how, but, the more she thought about it, the more it seemed to explain everything.

Unfortunately, if that second spirit was as powerful as she feared, she would have no choice but to kill the Chi Eater and any other spirits or their fragments that may have been trapped inside of it, all at once. But Korra was adamant in her desire to try and save it. There had to be another way.

As she jumped back onto her feet, Korra narrowed her eyes. The Chi Eater seemed to be attempting a monologue. That was never a good sign.

“Clever… they try… fail…” The Chi Eater continued, a dark puddle appearing beneath Korra’s feet. 

“What?!” She cried out, her eyes going wide as she felt a disgustingly evil presence surround her. When did it…?

“And… they die…”

Korra had no chance to escape before the puddle came to life and sprang up around her, trapping her inside of a dome of darkness. She threw fire at it in a panic, but nothing happened. Then terror washed over her as innumerable bright blue eyes blinked open all along the dome’s surface, glowing and gathering energy just like the Chi Eater had when it fired that first spirit beam. It was going to completely annihilate her, and there was nothing she could do.

She knew that no amount of bending was going to get her out of here. They’d been doing that the whole time to no effect, and she could already feel all her friends trying to penetrate it from the outside, anyway. It was just too strong. There was only one other thing she could think to do, one other way she might be able to get herself out of this, and – if she was lucky – take out the Chi Eater in the process. She just hoped she could manage it.

As the eyes became blinding, Korra tuned out her fear and focused on her connection to the light spirit inside of her.

“Raava, help me…” She whispered.

“Good… bye…”

In that instant, a deafening silence filled the battlefield. All of the eyes on the dome went wide, countless blue beams of searing hot spiritual energy shooting at Korra from every direction. 

Beams which had slowed to a crawl as soon as her eyes went white. 

Korra had jumped back into the Avatar State for a third time in the hopes of repeating that miracle from the battle with Kuvira, to bend the energy around her before it turned her to dust. And it was working.

When the beams should have collided with Korra’s body, they turned sharply and swirled, instead, gathering around the Avatar like a cocoon of light without ever actually making contact with her. As they accumulated, the energy swirled faster and faster, the heat within the ‘cocoon’ becoming almost unbearable. 

From the outside, the Chi Eater’s trap had started to visibly bubble and expand. The energy bent around the Avatar was growing exponentially in size, and the Chi Eater couldn’t stop from feeding into it. It hadn’t been prepared for this. Not in the slightest.

“Energy… bender… … strong…” The spirit lamented.

Cracks of light began to appear along the surface of the dome, and everybody who had been attacking it immediately stopped. Fearing it was about to explode, they turned and ran for cover instead. The Chi Eater feared the same. It had gravely underestimated what Korra was capable of.

**“ENOUGH!”** Korra screamed, finally forcing the energy collected around her back into the Chi Eater itself, ripping it apart in an explosion of pure spiritual energy that shook the entire man-made island the arena stood upon, as well as part of the city. The spirit screamed out in agony, blasted apart from the inside-out by one of its own attacks. 

Having concentrated all of the energy back into the Chi Eater specifically, nothing of what had collected around Korra remained. The rebound had vaporized any trace of the sad, sickly spirit, while whatever remained of the energy was being dispersed by Korra, who was floating now a foot above the floor. She was diffusing the energy like a Firebender did with their flames, mitigating the damage to the arena. It was an act that was almost instinctual; she didn’t want to hurt her friends or rip open another spirit portal. 

The end result was what looked like a million bright blue snowflakes drifting down from above. They gradually faded away before ever reaching the ground.

Inhaling and exhaling deeply, Korra closed her eyes. Back to her usual self, she fell onto her hands and knees. That’d definitely taken a lot out of her.

“Korra!” Mako yelled, throwing aside the piece of debris he had been hiding behind to go check on his friend. Thankfully, she seemed to be okay – just incredibly exhausted.

“Is it over…?” Bolin wondered aloud, also coming out from where he had been hiding. Everybody else soon followed suit. Bolin watched the flecks of light drift away, impressed – Korra seemed to be getting better and better at this whole Energybending thing. There wasn’t a new hole punched into the fabric of reality this time or anything!

With Mako’s help, Korra struggled back onto her feet, turning her head to face Bolin. She smiled. They were okay. She did it. “Yeah, I think it’s o–”

She was suddenly interrupted when the huge pile of debris created by Ravi and Lin burst apart, a glowing black blur streaking out of the arena and through the hole it’d burned through its side earlier on. It was still alive!

“Shit, don’t let it escape!!!” Korra shouted. She tried to run, only to stumble and fall from exhaustion, Mako catching her.

“Are you alright?” He asked, helping her up. It was a loaded question. He knew full well that she wasn’t and that she was stubbornly going to deny it, but somebody had to ask.

“Until the Chi Eater’s defeated, let’s just assume no.” She dryly replied. She watched the others run out in pursuit of the Chi Eater, Bolin staying behind to check in on his friend. Seeing she was having trouble standing, he helped his brother hold her up. “I need to get back out there. They can’t stop this thing alone.”

“Korra, you just exploded a spirit. Or… part of one, anyway. At least give yourself a minute to catch your breath!” Bolin insisted. But Korra shook her head. There was no time for that. The Chi Eater was hurt and scared and was probably going to bolt unless somebody got in its way, and she didn’t think those five were going to be enough to stop it. 

She could still feel it nearby, and hear the sounds of bending coming from outside. It was all the more reason she needed to get back out there, before somebody got killed.

“I’ll be fine.” Korra stubbornly insisted, thanking Mako and Bolin for their help but removing her arms from their shoulders so she could stand up on her own again. She didn’t care if she had to push past every physical limitation her body may have had. She wasn’t going to let anybody else die tonight.

Still, to think the Chi Eater kept a part of itself hidden beneath the rubble like that, in case something went wrong… it was craftier than she had given it credit for. She should have known a single redirected attack wouldn’t be enough to kill it, but its surprise when she did appeared to be genuine. It had underestimated her. She didn’t get the feeling she would get so lucky again.

Taking a deep breath, Korra tried to relax and recuperate as quickly as possible, using the water that’d been left on the floor around her to heal her wounds. All of this going in and out of the Avatar State was probably not a good idea, but she figured she had at least one more round left in her. Setting her sights on the hole in the side of the arena, her mind had been made up.

“Let’s go. It’s time to finish this.” She declared, more determined now than ever.


	10. A Night at the Theater, Conclusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chi Eater refuses to give up. Wounded and more dangerous than ever, the battle with the monstrous spirit enters into its final stage.

**Book 5  
Chi**

  **Chapter 10  
A Night at the Theater, Conclusion**

 

Outside of the arena, a few hundred feet from the exit, the battle had expanded far beyond anything Korra could have imagined.

The Chi Eater, feeling cornered and afraid for its life, had nearly doubled its mass, giving her friends the fight of their lives while trying to inch ever closer to the city. From this distance, it appeared to be around three times her height now as opposed to two, and the blue that had once surrounded it in a glow now seemed to course through it like veins. If it didn’t look monstrous before, it certainly did now.

It wasn’t just for show, either. Everybody who had stayed out of the battle before to help steer mover attendees to safety had now officially joined in the fray, and the Chi Eater wasn’t very happy about it. But with its recent enhancements, the spirit was keeping up scarily well. Even still, with Tenzin and his kids, Opal and Kai, and every single Beifong bender - even Huan - all hammering away at it, the Chi Eater was left in a much tighter spot.

Combined with Lin, Ravi, Ryu and Ryuuki, who had all left the arena with Tenzin to follow the Chi Eater, they were able to at least keep the spirit in check. But the Chi Eater, enraged though it may have been, appeared undeterred. It was countering every trick they tried on it and holding its own against the relentless onslaught of attacks from just about every element imaginable.

Korra and the brothers looked on in wonder as they ran down the bridge to the mainland, tufts of blue from Ryuuki’s flames lighting up the night. The fires kept both the Chi Eater and the crowd that had formed around them at bay, and already, Korra could see that the ground was overturned and in tatters around them. Cracks ran up the bridge from where the Chi Eater and various bending attacks had impacted, and the Avatar and her friends had to avoid pits and debris as they closed in on the scene.

Airbenders circled above firing volley after deforming volley of compressed air blasts at the Chi Eater, keeping it busy from above while the Earthbenders struck from below with boulders and spires of stone. Perhaps the biggest surprise to Korra though was that even with that monstrous, horrifying _thing_ thrashing about, there were still spectators who wanted to see what would happen. It was as if they’d traded the excitement of the mover for the excitement of the fight, seeing no difference between the two. Thankfully, they were kept back by the chaos and the Airbenders, but Korra still wanted to shake her head at the sight.

All-in-all, it was an impressive display to watch Ryuuki and the others attack from all sides, but it didn’t seem to be any more effective than a swarm of flies buzzing around a badgermole.

Every piece of its spirity flesh they tore from its body, the Chi Eater turned against them. Whatever didn’t become burn-inflicting projectiles ended up morphed into jagged, spiky protrusions shot out at them with incredible speed. And then even when its ‘flesh’ was detached, it was energy that the Chi Eater could bend and command from afar, leaving none of it safe to touch. Its attacks were blocked as best they could have been by Earth, Metal, and Air barriers, but Ryuuki was left to dodge or duck for cover, his flames only able to do so much to shield him.

By the time Korra and the brothers finally reached the end of the bridge, out of breath from their running, the battle had been completely contained to the mainland. The Chi Eater was being kept as close to the bay as possible in fear that it might try to escape and wreak havoc in the city. Wanting to ensure the pressure was kept up on it, Mako didn’t wait until they reached the Chi Eater to send out the two largest blasts of fire he had ever managed to bend directly at the spirit’s head. He had caught its attention just as it was about to levy a counterattack against a Huan who looked to be _very_ out of his league.

The towering monster growled, sensing the incoming waves of chi from the Firebender and reacting accordingly, using its shapeshifting powers to extend parts of its body to stab into the attacks. The flames were punctured on contact, and then dissipated when the gooey, rod-like structures vibrated and released shockwaves from their length with little harm being done to the spirit itself. Mako clicked his tongue at the sight. They really had backed it into a corner; it hadn’t tried so hard to fight back or defend itself until now.

Determined to stop the spirit, Mako attacked it again, Bolin following up with mighty chunks of earth. Korra, too, prepared to back him up, gathering a huge current of air around herself, but the spirit wasn’t having any of it. A single scream in their direction, and they were forced to brace themselves against impact while their attacks were blown away.

“Hungry…” The Chi Eater burbled low. Damage that had been done to it was healing, but to a keen-eyed observer such as Korra, it was demonstrably slower than before. Using two large-scale energy attacks in a row like that had taken a toll. Not that it was immediately obvious – to most everybody there, it seemed more monstrous than ever. But Korra knew - it was weak.

The creature gathered its mass together, getting ready to attack. It was unclear who or what its sights had settled on, but it was gone in a blur and a thunderous clap.

“Look out!” Korra cried, diving for cover, but the creature had already moved by the time her muscles had reacted. It barreled over anybody in its way like a runaway train, violently pinning Mako to the ground with it’s humongous hand.

“You.”  It breathed. It was on him in the blink of an eye – Mako hadn’t had any time to react. And now, he was going to be the Chi Eater’s next meal. The spirit lowered its head so that its true mouth would be facing him. The top of it’s head parted in the middle, opening up like a flower, and blue energy pulsed between the petal-like structures down to an even brighter, eerier glow buried deep inside of the creature’s throat.

A glow that seemed to be getting closer.

A long, decrepit, glowing blue hand then shot out from inside the spirit’s throat and grabbed the Firebender’s face. Serene warmth quickly turned into burning, exhaustion overcoming him almost instantly. Mako, panicking but unable to move, felt the heat spread throughout his entire body. Already he could feel himself losing consciousness, and he feared he was about to die -

“NOT _MY_ BROTHER, YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Bolin yelled, desperately calling on all of his strength to bend the ground beneath the Chi Eater’s feet into a pool of bubbling lava. It was one of the few things that seemed to legitimately hurt the spirit before, and now was no different.

The Chi Eater winced and wailed, the sudden sensation of melting limbs prompting it to let go of Mako. Korra was already grabbing him and carrying him to safety when the spirit jumped out of the molten puddle, splashing pieces of itself everywhere. It patched up the damage quickly, reforming its degenerated limbs and panting, turning to Bolin. He had to go. With the sound of thunder, it was inches from the Lavabender’s face.

“Oh, cra-” Slammed high into the air with an uppercut from the furious spirit’s right elbow, Bolin felt his ribs shatter. He gasped in pain, suspended in mid-air above the bay, but he was spared no wrath from above as the Chi Eater leapt up to meet him in yet another clap and a blur. Its hands were clasped together, and with all its might, it swung down and spiked him into the bay. Anything it hadn’t broken with that first hit surely would have been with the second.

“BOLIN!” Korra cried. She had dragged Mako to safety among the others and was now running in the direction Bolin had fallen, but the Chi Eater was on top of her just as quickly as it had been on her friends.

Korra was just as unprepared for its blistering speed as they were and braced herself for a physical attack, bending her knees and protecting her face with her arms, expecting to be knocked off her feet - only to find herself spared by Suyin’s intervention! Cables of steel had wrapped around the Chi Eater’s raised arm and one of its legs, and she was now pulling on it with all that she had to try and drag it away from Korra.

“Oh no you don’t…!” Suyin strained, the cable pulleys struggling with smoke and an unhealthy squeal, trying to move the massive entity back.

Korra looked up and found the Chi Eater unable to move, and behind it, saw Wing carry Mako away from the fight and Wei diving in after Bolin. Seizing the opportunity, Korra bent the street’s concrete to creep up and around the Chi Eater’s legs, backed up by Huan. Together, the three of them managed to keep it restrained just long enough for the twins to take the injured brothers into the crowd.

The Chi Eater was pissed, snarling and growling and shaking its body to break free, but it was restrained long enough that Korra could take a moment to think.

Korra knew that she shouldn’t bother trying to save it anymore, that she should just take it out now while she had the chance… but she couldn’t do it. Not when she felt like she could still save it. She had a better idea of what she was up against now, and with that came a renewed confidence that she could separate the two spirits inside of the Chi Eater. The Avatar took a deep breath. She knew what she had to do.

Collecting water from the bay and bending it around the trapped Chi Eater, a familiar hum filled the air, and with it, confusion. And in Lin’s case, anger.

“What are you doing?! We tried this already, it isn’t going to work!” The chief shouted, frustrated.  
  
“What are you waiting for?! Kill it, now!” Ryuuki shouted over the Chi Eater’s screams.  
  
“Korra, please!” Tenzin cried.

Exhausted, but desperate to prove them wrong, Korra clenched her teeth and entered the Avatar state again.

“ **I can do this!”**

The glow of her water was getting brighter and brighter, but once again, when it should have been calm, the Chi Eater grew more agitated. It was as if the longer the fight went on, the stronger it became.

 

̤̩̩̮̅̅͆̽̓ͥ͂͢i̙ ̮̜̉ͦw̮̦̟͓̎̈́ĩ͕͚l̸̝ͤ̃ͣ̃̚ḷ̢̘̟ͫ͐̀̂ ̪n̴̥̫̉̏ͅo͖̬͉͒͂̉͑̅͊ͯt̜͉͖͓͇̼̔ͪ̃ͥͮ̒͝ ͖̭̣d͔͍ͩͧ̎͆̓͒͡i͎͎̯͈̝̞̞ͮeͫͯ͊̋

̩͇̔ͧ̃ͮͩ͒͂ͅḭ͈ ͎̘̞̺̫ͤw͉̩̼̰̑͒ͧ͗́ͪḯ̼͋ͭ̀͜l̙̝͂̓̓ͣͪ̊̆ḷ̡͖̈ͣ̔́̈ ̪̮̟̱͌ň͒ͦ͏ǒ̞͉̼̃̂ͦ̀ṱ̦͟ ̩͖̳̜͍̳͒͑̾̈́̿̒dͯ̔͞i̦͇̪̙͕̓̎̍ͭͤ͑ͧe̡̹̞͓̮̞̼͎̐̔͗̀

͔̰̹̳̞͂̂ͬ̄ͣͫ̓i͊ ̻ͤw͇̯̭̖̫͍ͨ͛̍͟ͅi̞̎̃̊͌͂l̼͐͋͗̃̄ͨͅl̘̤̾̄͒̚ ͇̞̝͐ͧ̉ͮͭn̸̤̩̱̱͑ͩͣ̂̆͗ͬo̔͂t̳̝̑͗ͮ͢ ̟̮̰̽̂̈́̂͢ͅd̴̿ͩ̅i̤̠̠̦̭̣̎ͫe̴̟̫̟̭̠̿̈̿̅͛̑̒

̥́͐i̶̱̟͈̹̪̅̃ ̫͔͙̪̍̀w͓̰̯̘̪̦̣ͬ̆ͨ͊̋ͯi̢̿̂̂̇̒l̩̩̪͇͔͉l̻̲͙̙̰̳ͪ̍̿ ̳̜̙̗̞̩̱ͣͤͧ̓͐n̡̳͖̲͚̜̳̞ͧ̐̋̂̽̃ͮo̻̝̺͍̲ͪͤͬͫ͂t̻̮̦̭̹̗͕͛̑ ̺̟͚ͬͦͥ̉ͦ̒d͈̜͐̆̌ͩ́̄̚͘ị̼̤͔ͤ̒̄e̦̱͇̬̖ͪͮ

  
Korra would not yield, but the spirit would not bend, an unstoppable force having been met with an immovable object. It had resulted in a stalemate that threatened what may have been Korra’s only opportunity to put the Chi Eater down. But it was too late to stop now. Even if she wanted to, any sign of retreat would put her spirit at risk, or worse, Raava’s. She’d just have to continue until…

  
i̱̯͇̙͚͕̒̄ͫͤ̂ͩ̑ͅ ̝̫̉͌͌ͩͭ̇ẅ͈́̈̌̀ͤͫ͘i̠̺͒͂͊̕ͅn̷̰̤͖͍̽̀̋̀ͧ̒

 

In an instant, the hold had been broken, the glowing water falling to the ground in a mighty splash. Then, the Chi Eater let out a blood curdling scream of triumph that threw everyone to the ground.  
  
Korra’s head hit the pavement, and when her eyes next opened, they weren’t lit up anymore. Before she struggled back onto her feet, she could hear the Chi Eater breaking free from it’s concrete prison. The spirit laughed. It seemed to be gloating as it stepped forward slowly, its eyes hovering inside of its head before settling on Korra. The mouth-like mark on its neck had morphed back into a grin.

This was when it dawned on the Avatar what just happened. The Chi Eater had played her for a fool. It _wanted_ her to try and bend it again, and only now as she stood hunched over and ready to collapse, the dark spirit laughing in her face, did it occur to her. It wanted her to use up all of her strength trying to save it, knowing it could weather the storm whereas she would be rendered almost completely powerless.

And she’d fallen for it. It had used her compassion against her, and she’d wasted the only opportunity she had to put the Chi Eater down.

The spirit ceased its slow approach to disappear into a blur, reappearing on top of Korra in yet another sonic boom. It’d pinned her down with its disproportionately large hand before she even had time to process what had hit her, the air escaping her body in a painful wheeze. Opening its mouth like a flower in bloom, a blue glowing in its throat was the last thing Korra would see before she closed her eyes, preparing herself for what was about to happen.

“Now… die…”

“DON’T TOUCH MY WIFE!”

Korra’s eyes snapped back open at the sound of that voice. Was that…?

The Chi Eater’s eyes slid sideways to see who had interrupted it this time, only to be met with a large, metal fist to its head, sending it tumbling down the bridge and back toward the arena. The concrete beneath it cracked and cratered as it skipped along, only coming to a stop after digging into the bridge with both its hands to pull itself back onto all fours. Visibly enraged, the spirit roared, but its latest opponent was completely unfazed.

When the Chi Eater was sent flying, Korra had been, as well. Thrown in the opposite direction as the Chi Eater’s grip on her released in mid-air, she was caught by Ravi, saving her more fractures from hitting the concrete. He placed her gently onto the ground, but Korra didn’t bother to get up. She was too absorbed in what was going on.

“Asami…?” Korra couldn’t believe her eyes.

There, clad in a powerful mecha suit, her fiancee stood tall. She’d given the Chi Eater one hell of a headache and was now at the center of its ire. But from within the safety of the suit, she was seething with a calm fury all her own, ready to burn the spirit to the ground.

The Chi Eater took a moment to process what just happened before approaching Asami. Since she didn’t use chi to attack, she’d caught it completely off-guard. As it sniffed the air and confirmed she was just human – not even a bender – the dark spirit chuckled.

“Cute… but toys… won’t save-” As if she was going to let it talk.

Before the Chi Eater made it more than a few feet toward her, Asami vengefully unleashed a torrent of flames. Powerful flamethrowers built into each wrist propelled the fire with the same force as Ryuuki’s explosive blue bending, stopping the spirit in its tracks. It hissed and it cried as the same benders who’d previously so relentlessly attacked it backed away, wishing to stay out of the crossfire.

Cutting power to the flamethrowers, Asami ran forward, getting in close to hit the Chi Eater with another punch before it regained its bearings. She aimed an uppercut straight to its gut, but to her surprise she punched a hole straight through it. The hit was clean, but a spirit was a spirit. Its amorphous body quickly began to reform around her arm, holding her in place.

She adapted quickly, switching from a physical assault back to an elemental one. From point blank range and in the center of its body, Asami released grappling-like wires, electricity coursing through the Chi Eater’s body and causing it a good deal of agony. The sudden influx of energy had the added effect of destabilizing its form, and she used the opening that it gave her to withdraw the mecha suit’s arm while maintaining the current through the wires.

The Chi Eater struggled to pull the wires free from its gelatinous body, but she hit  it with a mighty left hook before it made much headway, smashing it into the ground with a mighty crash. Keeping it pinned with electrical cables, she returned to roasting her grounded foe alive. With one arm administering a powerful electrical current and the other one burning it to ash, Asami actually seemed to have the Chi Eater on the ropes!

Korra got back onto her feet, terrified but awestruck. She moved to help her fiancee out, but a hand on her shoulder pulled her back. It was Tenzin.

“Let her do this.” Korra looked at him as if he’d gone insane, but he continued. “None of us are in any condition to fight anymore, not even you. She’s giving us an opening. Let’s rest and then use it.”

Though she wanted to argue, Korra knew he had a point. Asami seemed to be holding her own for now, but it was no secret Korra was scared for her – it was painted all over her face. But Korra could barely keep herself up, let alone join in the fight. She hated it, but for now, she’d just have to have some faith and use the time Asami bought to heal herself.

Asami’s flames were relentless, keeping the Chi Eater pinned and ripping away at its body with their force. It was growing angrier by the second, trying to stand only to be pushed back into the ground by Asami stepping on its chest. She knew exactly how dangerous this thing was, she wasn’t going to give it an inch.

Frustrated, the Chi Eater isolated the section of its body Asami’s wires had been stuck in, dropping it to the ground and escaping the current that was causing it so much pain. Before Asami could react, an uppercut to the chest sent her stumbling back. The mecha suit was denser and heavier than the Chi Eater was, so she hadn’t been sent flying like the spirit had only moments earlier.

The Chi Eater looked weakened. Its body was blackened by what looked to be soot, or whatever chemical was used to give the mecha suit its fire. Its glow was suppressed over half of its body, and that half, which had borne the brunt of her assault, had seemingly melted and torn away. The spirit was burning with rage and panting heavily after the onslaught, parts of its right arm slopping to the ground.

Before Asami could reorient herself, the Chi Eater followed up with a scream, a powerful shock wave hitting the suit and knocking it further off balance. But Asami countered by planting iron rods from the suit’s calves, cementing her in place for just a moment so that she could right the mighty armor and then run back into the fray. This time, the Chi Eater met her head on, grabbing the fist that was aimed for its head and returning fire with a punch from its right arm.

Asami caught it just in time, however, and noting its damage and its weakness, ripped it off with a forceful yank. Then she punched the Chi Eater again, and again, putting a dent into the head it was trying to heal mid-attack. Finally having had enough, the Chi Eater jumped back, releasing its hold on Asami’s left fist. The retreat was only temporary though, as it’d only pulled back to inhale as deeply as possible for its next attack.

A scream louder than any before bellowed from the Chi Eater, a shock wave more powerful than the last screeching forward. Asami braced herself against it, iron rods digging into the ground to hold her in place. Not only did she not want to get thrown backwards, she also wanted to stand as a wall to take the brunt of the attack so the benders behind her wouldn’t have to.

Dents and chips appeared along the surface of the mecha suit, and inside of it gaskets burst under the strain, but nevertheless, she weathered the blow. When the Chi Eater came running back in for a follow up attack, Asami reeled back her fist to counter, only to swing at air.

“What?!” Asami panicked, the instruments inside the mecha suit going wild as the Chi Eater ghosted right through it. Apparently it had had enough, and was now ripping the suit apart from the inside – an ability of the spirits Asami had completely forgotten about. Lights flashed on and off and power began to surge through the machine, threatening to blow it up. Thankfully, she managed to open the escape hatch before it took full control, and she was able to jump to safety.

Running to the benders she’d been defending seconds earlier, she looked back only to see the Chi Eater leisurely exit through the back of the suit and then carelessly push it aside. Even without somebody inside of it to guide it, it was moving and jerking around uncontrollably, surges of electricity running along its surface. Then after a moment, it became still, likely never to move again.

Even still, her job was done. Asami had managed to severely injure the Chi Eater, and though it was healing itself, it was doing so slowly. It’d expended too much power earlier on, and had rerouted even more into its body to bulk itself up, so it no longer had such vast amounts of chi at its disposal. Taking this as a sign of vulnerability, the benders reignited their assault almost as soon as Asami joined them.

Ravi, Lin, Suyin, Huan and Ryuuki had all formed a line across the bridge. Separating the Chi Eater from Korra, Asami, and the Airbenders behind them, they had created a veritable wall of elements that prevented the weakened spirit from moving forward. In fact, they were actually managing to push it back along the bridge, attack after attack launched with a ferocity that the Chi Eater couldn’t understand.

“Persistent… bugs…!” The Chi Eater snarled, its ruined body pop marked by elemental attacks for the umpteenth time tonight. It raised its remaining arm to swat them all away, but Suyin caught it. Yanking it back down before it could bend the air around it, the Chi Eater was distracted enough for Lin to launch herself onto it with cables of her own.

Sinking them into the bridge and throwing herself at the Chi Eater, she clung to the spirit’s spindly upper arm. She hadn’t even been there for a second, and already she could feel its mass crawling up around her limbs. But the chief was undeterred, bending her wrist armor into a blade and cutting herself free before  lopping off the Chi Eater’s arm completely with a single mighty swing. The Chi Eater screamed as its arm fell to the ground, Lin along with it.

Even when detached, the arm was still trying to absorb her. Lin struggled to pull free of the tar-like substance, but to no avail. Noting her sister’s dilemma, Suyin looped her cable around Lin’s waist and pulled her sister out of the Chi Eater’s gooey flesh.

“Thanks. That was a close one.” Lin said. Suyin just smiled, turning back to the Chi Eater’s arm to see that it was now dissolving into a puddle on the ground. It was eating holes into the bridge.

All the while, Ravi and Huan maintained a steady barrage of Earthbending attacks, pulling from the heavily damaged bridge to keep the spirit staggering backwards. Without its arms, it struggled to keep its balance, screaming and trashing about without really hitting back. Lin and Suyin joined them while Ryuuki was getting ready to attack from behind. All of them were running out of steam, but they were all determined to keep going. They finally had the upper hand and they weren’t about to lose it.

  
*** *** *** *** *** ***

  
Back with the Airbenders, on the other side of the bridge, Korra was furious. “Are you crazy?!” She marched to Asami, clutching her side. “What are you doing here? You were supposed to go where it’s safe!” Those fractured ribs from before were really starting to hurt now. She felt like she was going to cry, but she couldn’t tell  if it was because of the pain or because of Asami.

Despite facing the Avatar’s wrath, Asami smiled. She was just relieved to have made it in time. She ran to meet Korra and held her in her arms. Korra winced, but hugged her back. She was tired, hurt, angry, scared, and confused, but more than anything else, thankful that Asami was okay.

“…Varrick had a mecha suit stashed away nearby, in case the Chi Eater decided to attack.’’ Asami backed away to look at Korra’s face. “He was going to have Zhu Li use it, but I insisted. I know you’re upset I didn’t stay with them, but I couldn’t shake the feeling something bad was going to happen to you. And I was right. I’m not going to apologize for saving you.”

Korra sighed. Of course _Varrick_ was involved. Though she was still upset, she pulled her back into a hug, ignoring the pain in her chest. “I’m just happy you’re okay.” She admitted, not wanting to let Asami go.

“I’m sorry for making you worry, but I can take care of myself. If we’re really going to get married someday, I want you to see me as an equal, not as somebody you always have to protect. I know what I’m signing up for.” It was the closest Asami was going to get to arguing with her right now. She didn’t want to fight, but she was definitely upset that Korra was mad at her over this.

Taking a deep breath, Korra sighed, and then nodded. She knew Asami was right. “I’m sorry. I’m just… it’s different now. I’ve never cared about anyone this much before. I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t. Promise.”

Korra looked up into Asami’s eyes. “I’m sorry. And thank you. You’re right, if you hadn’t shown up, I’d probably be spirit food. And I’ve gotta admit, as scary as it was to watch you fight that thing, it was also pretty badass.” She laughed, trying to shake her nerves. Asami was okay, that’s what she should be focusing on.

Tearing herself away from Asami, Korra looked back to the bridge. The Chi Eater was hurt, but still fighting. The arm Asami had ripped off was half regrown, and it was taking everything they had for Ravi, Ryuuki, and everyone to hold it back. There was still work to do.

Korra looked to the Airbenders behind her. Kai and Jinora were waiting for her signal, side by side. Opal was just rejoining them after checking up on Bolin. They no longer looked so exhausted, and a nod from Tenzin confirmed that they were ready to try again. Another look back to the Chi Eater and her frown deepened. She was done trying to save it. This time she’d have to go in for the kill.

 _“I’m sorry, Raava.”_ Korra thought, hoping the light spirit would hear. She’d tried. She just wasn’t strong enough of an Energybender yet.

Giving Asami one more squeeze, Korra whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

The Avatar was ready to return to the fight. “No more holding back. This time, I’m gonna end this.”

Asami sent her off with a wink. “I promise I won’t I jump in and save you this time!” Korra grinned and walked away. Rallying the Airbenders behind her, she headed back towards the arena to put an end to the Chi Eater, once and for all. yeet

  
*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
The exhausted benders weren’t letting up yet. Azure embers trailed his fingertips as Ryuuki spread his arms, then brought them back together in a mighty clap. An explosive arc of fire as wide as his arms rocketed forward. Ryuuki immediately followed up with two more long arcs trailing spinning kicks in the Chi Eater’s direction. Overwhelmed by Earth and Metalbending attacks from every direction, it had no time to react as the waves of fire burned it to the core.

The spirit roared, knocked backwards for what felt like the thousandth time. It was furious, but weakened. It couldn’t keep up with them anymore. .

“Everybody, one more time!” Korra called, running to the fight with the Airbenders close behind. They’d done well to keep it contained, but now it was time to put it down. While Korra gathered the strength to enter the Avatar State one last time, her friends sprung into action, going through with their plan.

Pipes once hidden below were seismically sensed and then torn out of the water by Lin and Suyin, turned into stakes that they hammered into the Chi Eater’s feet. The spirit screeched in pain, but was given no relief, three simple blasts of fire nearly knocking the Chi Eater onto its back. Catching itself with its tail, it had to contend now with large boulders brought up by Ravi and Huan to further pound it into the ground.

Hissing, the Chi Eater pushed itself back into a standing position and met the oncoming boulders with two strikes of its tail, piercing and exploding them with sheer concussive force.

As soon as he saw it was back on its feet, Ryuuki began Firebending again, the explosive properties of his flames wreaking havoc on its sense of balance. It was becoming clear to it now what they were trying to do, and the Chi Eater was struggling desperately against it. But there were too many benders now for it to prevent it, and it could see the Airbenders in the distance conjuring up another maelstrom.

The Chi Eater held itself up with its tail again, only to have said tail severed by the stakes that’d been dug into its feet. With terrible speed, they tore through the spirit’s shins and skewered it, causing the creature great pain as it just barely managed to stabilize itself with its wounded legs. It eyed Suyin and Lin with great disdain, but had no time to make threats, the ground beneath it shifting at Huan’s command to keep it struggling to stay up.

The final blow was left to Ravi, running up to the Chi Eater with metal and stone bent around his fist in a thick gauntlet, with a lesser amount collected around his feet. The Chi Eater was teetering already, but as Ravi propelled himself into the air, aiming for its chest, it would finally be rendered prone - with the mightiest punch he could muster, the spirit was knocked onto its back.

Then, to protect himself from its corrosive, creeping ‘flesh’, Ravi propelled himself off of the creature with the armor he’d created. His gauntlet and shoes both were turned into bullets that pierced through its form and burrowed deep into the bridge below.

“Now!!!” Ravi yelled as he slid to a landing, the Airbenders unleashing their attack at his command.

Again… they were trapping the Chi Eater _again_. The spirit groaned with pain and frustration, the razor-like wind first rushing past it, then encircling it from all directions, lifting it into the air. The spirit stopped trying to heal itself and spontaneously generated spiny protrusions from its body to try and latch onto the ground, to pull itself out of the storm, but the air blasted them away.

“Cursed… humans…” The Chi Eater lamented, trying in vain to destabilize the Airbenders’ attack with its shock waves. But their combined might was too strong. Its body was too badly damaged. With only one thing left to do, the Chi Eater stopped trying to escape, stopped trying to heal its body, and simply aimed itself in Korra’s direction. Opening its mouth, what was left of its form began to sizzle and inflate just as it had in the arena, and a blue glow steadily built within its throat.

It was time. The moment Korra had been waiting for was here, and at last, she entered into the Avatar State for the fifth and final time. It felt like every cell in her body was on fire as Raava’s power coursed through her, but she blocked out the pain. It was preparing another spirit beam and she had no time to lose. Everybody cleared away from Korra’s location as she began to levitate off the ground, bending all four elements around her with movements like water.

Unlike Aang, who wrapped himself inside of a protective cocoon of elements, Korra had crafted for herself a weapon. She condensed loose stones from the bridge, pulled water from the bay, exhaled fire with her breath, and wrapped herself in a bubble of air that tapered out into a scorpion’s tail behind her, the glue that held it all together. It was a spear of the elements, coiled around her as a lone helix, ready to strike.

By the time it was complete, the Chi Eater was ready to attack. It had taken it longer to build up the energy for this beam than it had for the others, indicating it may have been running low on the chi that it had stolen. For both of them then, this was the final attack.

With a voice that was blended with Raava’s own, Korra delivered one final message to the Chi Eater, conveying the will and words of the Spirit of Light within.

 **"** **Piteous spirit, your actions cannot be overlooked any longer. Corrupt though you may be, you and the one who has infected you have refused our attempts to save you from your shared misery. Now, we will put an end to your suffering, forever."** The Avatar declared, aiming her spear at the glowing blue core of the Chi Eater.

“dIE!” The spirit screamed, finally unleashing the beam had been charging.

 **"** **May you go in peace."** The Avatar wished, thrusting her spear forward with a simple twist of her wrist.

Piercing through the energy as though it weren’t even there, the mighty beam was divided, sent in two opposite directions before looping back in on itself in an explosion of light to either side of the bridge. With her free hand, Korra had bent them away from the city.

Realizing that the end was finally here, the Chi Eater relaxed, letting out little more than a sigh as the spear pierced through its open mouth and into its heart.

When the elements made contact with the energy within the Chi Eater, the world around Korra fell completely silent. Colors and lights exploded from the Chi Eater’s body, an unfathomable amount of chi and spiritual energy being released into the air in an explosion that – while smaller in size – rivaled in power that of the destruction of Kuvira’s weapon. At the sight of it, Korra relaxed. At last, the fight was over. She exhaled calmly, making no attempt to escape and letting the energy wash over her.

For Korra, everything went white, and then, black.

  
*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
The next thing Korra knew, she was standing on top of a hill.

Confused and disoriented, Korra looked around, seeing only sea in front of her and sprawling green fields of grass behind her. Beside her stood a tree that looked older than the land around it, and the sun shone bright in the sky. Though she could see waves splashing against rocks beneath the hill, and she could feel the warm summer breeze caress her skin, she could hear no sound.

“Where am I?” She asked. Though the world around her was silent, she could hear her voice plain as day.

“Home.”

A thought that wasn’t her own. So that was how it was. She’d connected with the Chi Eater’s soul once again. Was this one of its memories?

Turning around to face it, what she saw this time was not a sickly dark spirit crying out for help, but a tall, healthy, green and yellow nature spirit which greeted her with a gentle smile.

Standing upright, it was large, but no longer so disproportionate. Its mouth was back in its proper place, and its tail tapped calmly behind it as Korra studied it. Just the sight of it put her at ease, flowers blooming along its surface as she stared. Nodding at her, the spirit reached down and plucked a flower from its form, gifting it to the Avatar. Korra accepted it with some hesitation.

 _‘So this was what it originally looked like’_ , she thought to herself. This was not a spirit built for violence, but that was what it had been reduced to. Korra felt sad.

Beside it, smaller spirits of varying shapes and sizes began fading into view, each of them a different sort. These were the spirits it had consumed over its lifetime, whose residual energy lived on within the Chi Eater; the whispers accompanying its ‘voice’ that Korra was never able to make out. Thankfulness shone in their eyes as they watched her watch them. But Korra’s head hung low at the sight.

The Avatar was at a loss for words, unsure of what she should say. Or… no, that wasn’t true. As she thought about it, there was only one thing she _could_ say.

“I’m sorry.”

But the spirit shook its head, mouthing words she couldn’t hear, but she could feel, deep down inside of her.

“Thank you.”

With those two words, the flower in her hand disappeared into light, passing through her body and warming her flesh. With its passing, the vision came to an end.

Korra’s eyes snapped back open in the material world. A quiet gasp for air, and the Avatar looked around, unable to move her head. Upon closer inspection, she looked to be in Asami’s arms. Asami’s head was hung low, her lips pressed against the top of Korra’s head, and she was holding onto her tight. Though she was disoriented and a little numb, she could still feel Asami’s touch. And… wet. Was she crying?

When Asami lifted her head and saw that Korra’s eyes were open, albeit barely, her face lit up. She immediately looked behind her, looking as though she were saying something, but there was a loud ringing in Korra’s ears that made it impossible for her to hear it.

It was starting to get harder to see. Korra could feel herself slipping back into unconsciousness.

“Asami…” Korra whispered.

“-or-a!”

Once again, everything went black.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
When Korra next awoke, she found herself in the hospital. She hated hospitals. Ever since Zaheer, being in one made her feel uncomfortable. As she adjusted to her surroundings and the plain white room, this time was no exception.

That was, not until she noticed the hand so tightly holding onto hers. As soon as she noticed that, and the raven-haired girl that it belonged to, all of that uncomfortableness melted away.

Asami.

She’d pulled her chair up close to Korra’s bed so that she could rest her head at Korra’s side. She was asleep but still looked exhausted.

Korra wondered, how long had she been out? She really hoped she hadn’t made Asami worry too much.

As if she’d sensed that Korra was awake, Asami began to stir, looking up to see a weary looking Avatar staring back at her.

“Hey.” Korra greeted simply, her voice cracking from the dryness of her throat.

“…Korra?” Asami asked, a smile finding its way onto her tired face. “Thank the spirits, you’re awake…” She whispered, her grip on the Avatar’s hand tightening. She looked like she was about to cry. Korra must’ve been out for a while. Sitting up in her chair so she could get a better look at her fiancee, Asami reached out with her other hand to stroke Korra’s face. Korra smiled.

“How long have I been out?” The Avatar asked, trying to get a read on her situation. All she knew so far was that she felt almost as exhausted now as she did after fighting Zaheer. That, and that it had to have been more than a day – Asami had changed out of her dress from the premiere, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup anymore. A rare sight for her. Had she even showed up to work since then?

“Five days.” Asami replied. Five?! She really _had_ overdone it with all that Avatar State action then.

“What about Mako and Bolin? Are they okay? Last I saw of them, Wing and Wei were taking them back to the mainland…” Korra wondered, trying to remember everything that’d gone on during the fight. For now, it was just a lot of flashes and vague ideas. She was still a little out of it.

“They’re going to be fine. Mako was very weak for a couple days, but he’s already back on the beat. Bolin broke a few ribs and his right arm, but with a few more healing sessions he should be good as new. Right now he’s on desk duty helping Mako and Lin wrap up the Chi Eater case.” Asami explained.

“Thank goodness…” Korra sighed with relief. Honestly, she was a little surprised. With the way the Chi Eater knocked him around, she’d have expected just about every bone in Bolin’s body to have been broken right about now. She supposed all those years on the streets and in the Pro Bending circuit had toughened him up. Korra was more relieved about Mako, though. The Chi Eater didn’t have him for long, but… it was good to know he was okay.

“…What about you?” Korra continued. She may not have been hurt during the fight, but Asami must’ve been worried sick these last few days. She certainly looked the part.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me.” Asami assured. “I’m just glad that you’re okay. The doctors said you’d be fine, but you wouldn’t wake up, so I… I don’t know, it was scary. I didn’t know what that spirit did to you. For all I knew, it could’ve taken your spirit with it as it died, or…” She stopped herself before Korra could. Korra was fine. There was no reason for her to worry over what could’ve been. “…Sorry, I’ve just been worried.” She apologized. Korra understood. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I haven’t slept in five days,” Korra half-joked. Even after all that sleep, she really _didn’t_ feel all that rested. “But other than that I feel fine.” She smiled. Asami smiled back. For a moment, they just enjoyed the other’s presence.

“…Oh, right,” Asami remembered, suddenly changing topics. “President Raiko wanted me to tell you that you’re still free to testify in Kuvira’s trial whenever you’re ready. The tribunal’s going to hold off on final deliberations until you’ve fully recovered and spoken your piece. Though, I think you should take another day or two to rest first. I know you don’t like to sit still when you have something to do, but…”

Korra laughed. For once, she agreed with her on that. “I’m way too tired to form a coherent sentence.” She joked. “All I want to do right now is go home with you and sleep.”

“Says the girl who just slept five days.” Asami teased. Korra shook her head, sliding her legs over the bed and looking down. A hospital gown, of course. She really hated these things. Where did they put her clothes?

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. At least I don’t have another giant mecha suit to topple or homicidal spirit to stop. I just wanna take it easy with you for a couple days. That should be okay, right?” Korra asked as she looked around the room.

Realizing what she was looking for, Asami reached behind her and handed Korra her regular clothes. Apparently, she’d grabbed them out of the closet when she went back and changed out of her dress. Korra thanked her, looking over her shoulder to make sure the door was closed before taking off the gown and getting dressed.

The sooner she got out of here, the better.

“Are you sure you still even _want_ to testify?” Asami asked. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I think it’s admirable what you’re doing, even if it is for Kuvira,” She continued, frowning a bit at the mention of her name. “But I don’t know if you’re going to be able to change the tribunal’s mind alone. From everything I’ve been hearing the last couple days, they’re looking into using a law Tarrlok slipped into the books about capital punishment.”

Korra’s smile faded, but she remained silent, continuing to listen to Asami as she put on her shirt.

“And I saw the way Opal reacted when you mentioned wanting to take part. I think she knows what you’re going to say as well as I do, but I’m not really sure how she feels about it. She almost lost her entire family to Kuvira, and others had it worse. There’s a lot of hate.” Asami explained, wanting to catch her fiancee up on the current state of affairs as far as Kuvira was concerned. The press was one thing, but things were getting bad if the tribunal itself was talking about the death penalty now.

Now fully dressed except for her shoes, Korra sat back down on the bed, sighing.

“I know. There _is_ a lot of hate. But that’s exactly why I need to testify. Kuvira… I get her. I almost _was_ her. Some of what she’s done is unforgivable, but I don’t think killing her is going to solve anything. If I can, I want to give her the chance to actually atone for her crimes and help the Earth Territories get back on their feet as part of her sentence.” Korra explained. Asami’s smiled returned, though it was a little weak.

“I don’t really know where I stand after everything she did, but I think that’s a very kind thing to do. I hope you can get through to them.”

“I’ll try my best.” Korra smiled. Putting on her socks and boots, she was finally fully dressed and ready to go, standing up and stretching out her back. She was a little wobbly on her feet, and her body felt stiff from being in a bed for so long, but other than that she felt okay. She couldn’t even feel her fractured ribs anymore. She supposed she must’ve gone under a few healing sessions while she was out.

As she prepared to grab Asami and leave the room, a knock at the door interrupted Korra’s escape. A nurse had walked in only to see that the Avatar had not only woken up, but gotten dressed to go, as well.

“Um, Avatar Korra, the doctor hasn’t cleared you to go just yet…” He stated with some hesitation, not entirely sure if he’d be able to convince the Avatar to wait. Korra shook her head.

“Yeah, well, they’re not the only healer here, and I know my body better than they do. I’m fine.” Korra stated with confidence. Before the nurse could see anything more, the doctor in question happened to pass by, noticing her patient was awake.

“Oh, Avatar Korra, you’re awake! Excellent!” The doctor stated as she entered the room, shaking the Avatar’s hand. The nurse moved out of the way. “Glad to see you’re feeling well enough to get out of bed now. You think you’re good to go?” She asked, looking over Korra’s charts one more time while she listened to Korra’s reply. Everything seemed to be okay on paper.

“Yeah, you guys did a pretty good job healing my injuries. I could definitely go for some more sleep, though… and a more comfortable bed.” Korra groaned, rubbing the small of her back. The doctor laughed. They got that a lot.

“That’s good then. Given the nature of the spirit you were fighting, we called in a few experts to make sure everything was okay with your chi. So far as we can tell, you should be perfectly fine. You’re free to go whenever you please.” The doctor confirmed.

Korra smiled. Perfect.

Thanking the doctor and the nurse, the two girls grabbed the rest of their things, checked out of the hospital, and headed for Asami’s car. As they came up on it though, Korra couldn’t help but laugh. She’d forgotten it was painted in her colors. Korra smiled.

“You know, sometimes I forget how long you’ve had feelings for me,” Korra remarked, Asami feeling just a tinge of embarrassment at the thought. “It’s kind of cute, honestly. Sorry I made you wait so long.”

This time, Asami laughed. They’d already had this conversation dozens of times in the Spirit World, there was no need to rehash it now.

As she climbed into the passenger seat, Korra thought back for a moment on the fight and everything that had happened. And as she thought of Asami relating to that, she remembered how she came in and saved her when the Chi Eater had her pinned. Which reminded her…

“By the way, Asami, I was meaning to ask… when you charged in to save me… did you call me your _wife_?”

Suddenly, Asami froze, her face turning a bright shade of red. “…No,” She replied with some hesitation. “Maybe you do need more sleep,”

Korra laughed. “Whatever you say. It made me think, though – Korra Sato has a pretty nice ring to it, don’t you think?” The Avatar teased. Asami couldn’t help but smile at that one.

“Yeah, I think it does.”

“I love you, Asami.”

“I love you too.”

With that, Asami turned the ignition and set off for the Sato Estate. Soon, Korra would be busy dealing with Kuvira’s trial, and likely even more Avatar business after that, but for now? For now she was just looking forward to spending a couple more days alone with her fiancee.

After everything that’d just happened, the two of them could use another (mini) vacation.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this, we're officially 1/3 of the way through Forever! This is quite the milestone for me. These first 10 chapters have been a blast to write, and now, with the Chi Eater out of the way, we're free to focus more on Kuvira and the triads. The story's only just begun.
> 
> See you guys in Chapter 11!


	11. Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week has passed since the Chi Eater's defeat, and with the spiritual threat apparently behind them, all eyes are back on Kuvira. A divided city awaits the testimony of its Avatar as she struggles to pick up the pieces the Great Uniter left behind.

**Book 5  
Chi**

**Chapter 11  
Pieces**

 

In the mountains just outside of Republic City, all was calm, save for the lovers sparring in the morning sun. The day had only just begun, but already Korra and Asami had been at it for the better part of an hour. What was intended to be a shared work-out routine quickly became competitive, but neither girl could one-up the other. 

Though the sliding shoji doors were open wide so they could enjoy the garden view from Asami’s home gym, they were laser-focused on each other. The sounds of birds and rushing water were drowned out by the radio, blows exchanged to the beat of jazzy morning tunes. Two plates, empty save for some crumbs, sat on a table in the corner, the only evidence of a warmer, more domestic early start. They wore padding around their hands and feet to protect each other from real harm, but the ferocity with which they struck each other wasn’t watered down a bit.

They danced around the room matching each other blow for blow, neither of them able to get the edge on the other. Asami looked determined and composed, every punch and kick aimed with precision while she read her fiancee’s every move. Korra, on the other hand, looked frustrated to be so evenly matched, reacting on sheer instinct and keeping up only by virtue of her greater combat experience.

“Come on, Korra, you can do better than that!” Asami taunted. She avoided another punch and counter attacked with a spinning back kick to Korra’s chest. Korra deftly moved out of harm’s way and was ready to counter with another punch, but Asami had already moved out of range.

This was exactly how their sparring sessions used to go in the Spirit World, too, when they first put this regiment together. There was a strict ‘No bending’ rule in place, and Korra always found herself outwitted or outmatched. When it came to simple hand-to-hand combat, it was clear that Asami was the better of the two. But it was all the more reason for Korra to keep trying. Not only was the challenge fun for her, it was good practice for whenever she didn’t have her bending at her disposal.

Unfortunately, it usually devolved into a very frustrated Avatar, and today was no exception. Korra was losing her cool, and because of that, her attacks were becoming sloppier, easier to read. All Asami had to do was keep poking at her pride and she’d have her fourth consecutive win to date.

“Too bad fists aren’t an element, it seems like bending is the only thing you’re good at!” Asami hammered in.

“Yeah, well, you’re mean!” Korra stumbled to fire back. Clearly, comebacks weren’t her specialty. Running back to Asami, Korra tried to hit her with a jumping kick. Ready for it, Asami grabbed the Avatar’s leg, throwing her into the tatami mats below. Korra was too slow, and the run up to her kick made it too predictable what she was going for.

“Sorry, but you told me to get inside your head,” Asami reminded, a confident smile on her face as she lent a hand to help her fiancee up. She was rubbing her butt in pain, but gladly accepted the assistance – only to turn it around on Asami with a low sweep when she least expected it, grounding her as well. Korra hopped back up on her own, rubbing her nose with an arrogant smirk. “Oh, okay, so that’s how you wanna play,” Asami grinned, getting back onto her feet. “I’m game.”

The two returned to sparring with greater intensity than before. Both were drenched in sweat and out of breath, but neither were willing to give up. Then Asami attacked with a move that Korra recognized as one of her own, and for once, she was able to read her and deflect her blow.

“Using an Earthbending movement on the Avatar? Really, Sato?”

“Damn, I was hoping you wouldn’t notice,” Asami pouted.

Riding the high of deflecting  _ Asami _ for a change, Korra went back in with renewed vigor. 

Whereas Asami relied on her greater speed and agility to vigorously attack, Korra knew she could take more blows from Asami than Asami could from her, so this time, she’d decided to use that to her advantage. By letting Asami get a few extra hits in, Korra had succeeded in boosting her confidence. This made it all the more surprising when Korra grabbed her leg the same way Asami had grabbed hers earlier.

Before she had any time to react, Korra had thrown her to the ground. All she had to do now was pin her down and the fight was hers, but even on her back, Asami was no less dangerous. She mimicked Korra’s trick and tried to knock her off her feet, but Korra saw it coming and jumped over her leg. What Korra  _ hadn’t _ seen coming was Asami’s other leg in a second low sweep immediately after, which knocked her to the mat again. With her victory within reach, Asami leapt at Korra in an attempt to grapple her and pin her to the ground.

That smirk of hers said it all – Asami saw right through her, and Korra was not as quick to recover without her bending as Asami was. But maybe she could use a bending technique without the bending? With no other options presenting themselves, Korra kicked herself back onto her feet with an Airbender’s recovery, hopping out of the way just in time for Asami to collide with nothing but tatami.

“Hey, no bending!” 

“I didn’t! I just borrowed the move,” Korra asserted. She adjusted her training gear and waited for Asami to get back up. She looked a little skeptical, but she took the Avatar at her word.

It seemed that even in sparring, they were proving to be equals today. Korra had improved. But now, she was exhausted. She had better endurance than Asami by far, but when she couldn’t use the elements she tended to wear herself out more quickly. Without her bending to back her up, she seemed to rely more heavily on her physical strength, putting more power into her blows than she maybe needed to. It was effective when she landed a hit, as they were always more impactful than Asami’s, but it was also more exhausting.

After that last ditch non-bending bending move, Korra seemed to be at her limit. Asami hid it well, but she was also exhausted. But she still had enough left in her to take this, she could feel it. The two just stood there for a moment, each in their respective stance, staring the other down. They could tell – whoever moved first would win.

Fire roared behind Asami’s eyes, and she sprung into action just a fraction of a second quicker than her partner. Korra was caught completely off guard. Time seemed to slow for her as she wondered what, if anything, she could do to counter the oncoming punch, aimed square for her jaw. But within the confines of the rules, there was nothing.

Honestly, it was kind of frustrating, constantly being shown up like this. Korra just wanted a hand-to-hand win under her belt for once, to show Asami she could hold her own, but she always got upstaged. It happened every time they did this, and with the snowball fight, and the Chi Eater, too. But this time, she was so close. Too close. Korra could’ve taken this and she knew it. With Asami’s padded fist fast approaching and no legal counter to be made, all Korra could do was take the blow… or break the rules.

She was a competitive girl with a bruised ego who’d seen victory just within her reach – the temptation was too great. In a moment of weakness, Korra let go, reacting on instinct. A simple sliding of her foot, and a rush of air pushed Asami’s leg sideways, breaking her foundation and sending her falling flat on her back. Her eyes went wide as it hit her what had happened. 

Korra grinned and tackled the falling girl, pinning her to the mat. She was holding Asami down by both arms with her knee pressed into her chest, and there was a mischievous look in Korra’s eye as she stared her down. 

“I win~” Korra sang. Asami didn’t look half as amused as Korra was.

“Do you now?” Asami asked, the coldness of her voice making Korra’s grin fall flat. Uh oh. Korra braced herself for an earful, but instead, a hit came from behind. She’d neglected to pin Asami’s legs, and now that oversight was going to cost her the match. With her superior flexibility, Asami reached up and beneath Korra’s arms, and with a bit of effort, lifted Korra off of her and slammed her back-first into the mat.

In an instant, their positions had been reversed, and when Asami sat on top of her, she was far more thorough. Korra couldn’t move an inch – the match had been decided.

“What was that?” Asami asked. Korra laughed quietly, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her back. She deserved that.

“Okay, okay, you got me.” She conceded. 

Asami blew a stray lock of hair from her face and flashed Korra another self-assured smile. Even when she cheated, she couldn’t beat her. 

“Well you don’t have to look so smug about it, I was just trying to have some fun,” Korra excused, frowning.

“No, you just wanted to be on top for a change.” Asami grinned, sliding off of  Korra’s body to help her up. Korra looked offended at the insinuation. “What did we learn?”

“Cheating is bad.” Korra sighed, rising to her feet with a groan. That last reversal really hurt… Asami wasn’t holding back with that one.

“And?”

“ _ And _ you’re the better fighter.” Korra admitted, embarrassed.

“Damn right I am.” Asami basked. “But please don’t do that again. You’re better than that.” She reminded, her tone more serious as she did. Teasing aside, that  trick was still pretty low, and Korra knew it. But she’d learned her lesson – it wouldn’t happen again.

“I won’t. I’m sorry.” Korra stretched her sore back. “It’s just been a rough week, y’know? You’ve been showing me up a lot lately; I wanted at least  _ one _ little victory against you.”

“Then earn it.” Korra winced at that one. She probably should. “I know you’re capable, you’ve just gotta stop letting me get in your head like that.” Asami pressed, warmness returning to her words.

“I know, I know… I keep asking for it, but it’s still hard not letting it get to me. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again, I promise.”

“Apology accepted.” Asami smiled.

Walking over to a training dummy by the wall, Asami grabbed her towel and tossed another Korra’s way. Korra dried herself off and walked back to the table in the corner. There was a pitcher of water and some glasses waiting for her when she got there. Cooling the pitcher with a touch, she poured herself some water and gulped it down, then plopped into one of the chairs.

Sighing, Korra watched her fiancee undo her ponytail. She could feel herself swoon as Asami fixed her hair and approached the table, her towel slung over her right shoulder. Korra poured her a glass of water in anticipation. Asami thanked her and took the seat opposite Korra’s. While Asami watched the garden, Korra watched Asami. They both found beauty in what they saw.

It’d been a week since Korra had gotten out of the hospital. Things had calmed down considerably after that, but Korra knew it was only temporary. Her date with the tribunal was today, and she still had the triads to worry about after that. Not to mention the restructuring of the Earth Territories after  _ that _ . Korra wasn’t looking forward to any of it, and the thought of all that work waiting for her made her cherish these moments with Asami even more. Once the ball got rolling, they were probably going to be few and far between.

At least she had a mover and a party to look forward to. Since last week’s premiere had been a debacle,  _ ‘The Dancing Dragons’ _ was showing again tonight, in an old theater in the western district. She and Asami leapt at the chance to see it again, and Korra was looking forward to a little wine and dance at the after party, given how stressful testifying was probably going to be. It sounded like a good way to spend her free time before she lost it for the foreseeable future.

Korra was just thankful that Ryuuki was being so generous to them all. He’d even offered to help pay for the Arena’s reconstruction. She kinda liked the guy, if she were being honest, and was glad he’d elected to stay in town a little longer. She probably wouldn’t get to see him much, but he seemed like an interesting man – she’d love the chance to get to know him a little better and ask him about that blue fire of his. If she could learn how to bend like  _ that _ , there would be nothing that could stop her.

But all of that was later. Now, there was only Asami. Spirits, she was beautiful. Korra had yet to see her in a position where she didn’t look absolutely stunning. Coming home from a long day at Future Industries, when she was completely absorbed in some blueprints in her spare time, immediately after a sparring session - she never failed to take Korra’s breath away. 

“Korra?” Asami’s voice dragged Korra back to reality. She’d been staring at her for a while now. “You okay?”

“O-Oh, yeah, I was just admiring the view,” Korra grinned. Asami gave her a bashful wave. “I’m really looking forward to tonight. That trial’s gonna suck, but I could really use a party right about now.”

“Right. The trial.” Asami frowned. She’d almost forgotten that was today. It had taken the Tribunal a while to actually fit Korra in – they’d been in the process of wrapping up, and now they had to make a space for the Avatar. The look on Asami’s face was hard to read.

“Asami? Are you okay?” Asami’s expression sunk further. Was she?

Neither of them spoke for a minute.

“…You know, until you moved in, I hadn’t been in this room for years.” She admitted after a moment. “I let Mako and Bolin’s family use it while they were here, but… I never liked coming in here.”

“Really? Why not? It’s got such a pretty view of the garden, and it’s the perfect place to train. All this equipment is pretty top notch.” Korra mentioned.

“Well, that  _ is _ what this room was made for.” Asami curtly replied, her focus still on the garden. “My dad called it the ‘Sato Family Dojo’. He added it to the house pretty soon after my mom died, especially for me. He wanted to teach me how to defend myself, against benders especially, but keep me close while he did. Somewhere safe and comfortable where he could join in or check up on me anytime he wanted to. This was where I learned…  _ everything _ , basically.”

“That sounds so nice… you must have a lot of memories in here. Is… is that why you’ve been avoiding it?”

“Yeah.”

Korra fell silent after that. She didn’t want to press it any further, but Asami actually seemed eager to get it out there. She wanted Korra to know.

“…After everything that happened with Amon, and the Equalists… I began to wonder what he’d really been training me for. Was it really just self-defense, or was he training me to be like  _ them _ ? A weapon.” The thought alone made Asami feel like she was going to cry. Korra felt like she should say something, but stopped herself when Asami continued.

“I know what you’re thinking. He probably  _ did _ just want to protect me. He was my dad and he loved me, he just wanted me to be safe. But I… I honestly can’t say for sure, anymore. And that hurts, you know? Suddenly, all those memories I had of a kindly single father, trying his best to spend time with his daughter, were… ruined. The image that I had of him as this great genius out to save the world, struggling to make time for me with all his big projects and accomplishments, suddenly that was just… gone.”

Asami closed her eyes and inhaled sharply. Korra put her hand on hers, and Asami grabbed it as hard as she could before she continued. 

“When I was growing up, we never got to spend much time together. So I’d always come up with different reasons why, assuming it must’ve been something important. My dad was my hero. But after Amon, all I could think was that this whole time, he was attending Equalist meetings while I was in school, plotting genocide while I trained. I wanted to be like him so badly, to get closer to him, and this room was one of the few places where we could just hang out and it wasn’t all business and learning, you know? We didn’t just train here, we talked here, too. We played Pai Sho. We drank tea. We watched the sun set over this garden.” Asami reminisced, almost beginning to smile.

“And then we didn’t.” She finished. “The last time I was in this room with him, it was a couple of days before you arrived. I had no clue what he was really thinking, back then. If any of what he said he wanted for me was true or not. And I guess now I never will.”

Asami was still staring at the garden, her eyes full of tears. What could Korra even say to all of that? She’d always known Hiroshi’s betrayal affected her deeply, but she never really put much thought into it. But Asami? She had to live with this every day. She didn’t have the luxury of not having to think about it. Her father had been the only family she had left, and then he was gone. It wasn’t something that they talked about often. 

“I’m so sorry…”  She wasn’t really sure what else to say. She held Asami’s hand tighter, but she still wouldn’t look in her direction. She was just staring at that garden.

“Don’t be. Now that we train here, this room means something else to me. So I want to thank you for that. But… this trial… Kuvira…” Asami trailed. Korra’s heart sunk. Right. “Don’t get me wrong. I love you, so much. So much. Whatever you choose to do, I’m going to support you, no matter what. You’re kind, and compassionate, and I understand where you’re coming from and why you want to say what you want to say and I just… I understand. But… but if I’m being honest…”

Asami couldn’t hold it anymore. A tear trailed down her cheek and she turned away from the garden. Korra expected her to look sad, but the look of guilt and terror on Asami’s face shook her to the core. 

“If I’m being honest, then… if you fail. If the tribunal chooses death. I think - I think I’d be okay with that.’’ Asami bit her lip and put a hand over her mouth. She was staring at the floor and holding Korra’s hand as tight as she possibly could. It seemed to take all her strength to speak these words. “I know it’s wrong, okay, it’s fucked up, but… she killed my  _ dad _ , Korra. My dad. I had him back, and, and we were going to be okay, and she just killed him right in front of me, like - like he wasn’t even a person. And she would’ve killed me, too, but he - he saved me. He saved me and now I’m here with you, and…” She sobbed and sniffled. Her eyes were shut tight to stop the tears, but they kept rolling down her nose and dripping off her chin.

Korra leaped off her chair and kneeled next to Asami. She was still holding her hand, and with the other she ran fingers through Asami’s hair to move it away from her face.

“I love you, and I want to tell you that I hope everything goes the way you want it to, but I don’t know if I… if I really believe that. I don’t know if I really want that. I think… I think there’s a part of me that wants to watch her  _ die.  _ And it scares me. I just… is this how my dad felt after mom died?” Asami was whispering. She was staring at the floor again, eyes wide, terrified of what she was saying. Her entire body was shaking.

“Is this what he felt like? This sadness, and this… this  _ hatred _ ? I hate her so much I don’t know what to do with myself. I  _ hate _ her. And I know it’s not fair, it’s not fair to put that on you, but I don’t have anybody else left. I just… I want my dad back…”

Asami looked into Korra’s eyes, took a long, shaky breath, and flung into her open arms. The two of them were sitting on the floor now, Asami crying into Korra’s chest while she held her. Korra rubbed her back and wondered how long she’d been keeping these feelings hidden from her. She wondered how she could’ve missed them. She felt terrible. But there was nothing she or anyone could say to deal with all of that. So Korra leaned her forehead against Asami’s head and brushed her hair with her fingers while she let it all out.

Up until now, Asami had never opened up about her father’s death or how she felt about everything. Sometimes it would come up in passing, but she was always quick to change the subject. During their vacation in the spirit world, she would sometimes suddenly start crying at the thought of him, and Korra held her, but Asami never talked. It was the one thing they’d never been able to talk about before, and considering how they disagreed when Asami first contacted her dad again, it was the one thing Korra didn’t  _ want _ to talk about. But here they were. She was happy Asami was being honest, but what was she supposed to say to all of that?

“Asami…” Korra trailed, tightening her hold on her fiancee.

“Am I a terrible person?”

“No, no, of course not,” Korra immediately reassured, pulling away so she could look Asami in the eyes. She brushed the back of her hand against her chin and spoke as softly as she could. “You say I’m compassionate, but you’re the most compassionate person I’ve ever known. If anything, I’m just trying to be like you. You’ve had all this tragedy in your life, and yet you’ve never let it get the better of you. I can’t begin to imagine the kind of strength that must take. The fact that you’ve always kept on going has always awed me.”

“Then why do I want her to die? Why am I becoming my dad?”

“You’re not– …your dad… he was… complicated. You knew that better than I ever did. But what you’re feeling is normal. Even if this is how he felt after your mom died, he blamed an entire people for a single person’s actions. But you… you know who killed him. She has a name. And a face. It’s different. Hiroshi’s mistake was to let that pain and anger and hatred consume him until it was just… all he felt. But you helped pull him back from that. You’ll pull yourself back, too.”

“But what if I don’t want to, Korra? What if… what if I don’t want to stop hating her? I finally had a chance to get my dad back, and she… she…” Asami buried her face in Korra’s neck.

Korra closed her eyes and breathed through her nose. “I don’t know. But, hey. I don’t think of you any less for feeling that way.” If Kuvira had killed her _ own _ dad, Korra couldn’t say she’d feel any differently, after all. “I wish I knew what to say. That I could just… make all of this go away. But I can’t. All I can tell you is that I love you, and that I’ll always love you, and that I understand. I’m so sorry you have to go through all of this. I’m sorry.” Korra whispered in Asami’s hair, kissing her head and holding her tighter.

It wasn’t like it was Korra’s fault, but now, her actions were going to affect Asami, too. It wasn’t intentional, and it wasn’t fair, but it was what it was. Korra understood. It was a complicated situation, and it sucked. But they’d be okay. She knew it. As hard as all of this was to hear, she was glad to have finally heard it. It meant that Asami really did trust her, and she was thankful for that.

“No, I’m sorry.” Asami sniffed and sat up, trying to recompose herself to limited success. “I don’t… I’m not usually like this. I shouldn’t be putting all of this on you, you have enough to worry about. I don’t want you to feel guilty for-”

“Asami, it’s okay.” Korra assured her. She leaned forward and stroked her hair. “Really, it is. I knew there was a lot about Kuvira and your dad that you weren’t saying, I was just waiting for you to be ready to talk about it. It’s why I’ve tried not to bring them up so much, but the trial ends today. I get why you had to say it right now. It was just the straw that broke the camelephant’s back.”

“Okay.” Asami accepted, slinking back into her Avatar’s shoulder, if only for a moment. She took a long, deep breath. She wasn’t shaking anymore. “Spirits… I have to get to work soon, and I’m just a sobbing mess on the floor. I haven’t even showered yet.” She said with another sniffle. “I already feel exhausted.”

“Yeah, a good cry will do that to you. But you’re the boss, right? You can come in a little late if you want.”

“No, no – there’s too much going on right now, it’s too important. I have to be there.” Asami sat up properly, dried her tears, cleared her throat, and stretched out her neck and shoulders. She still felt pretty awful, but there was work to be done. Once this whole Kuvira thing was taken care of, maybe she’d feel a little better.

“Okay. Are you gonna be alright?” Korra asked cautiously, helping Asami up.

“Of course. I’m Asami Sato.” She smiled weakly, looking Korra directly in the eye. “I’m the strongest girl you know. I can even kick the Avatar’s ass in sparring.”

Korra smiled softly in return. “Do you mind if I join you for that shower? I should be getting ready, too.”

“Yeah. I think I’d like that.” Maybe it was from crying so much, but there seemed to be a sparkle in her eye when she spoke. “Thank you for letting me fall apart like that.”

Korra took her hand and led her out of the room. “Don’t worry about it, that’s what lovers do, right? We help pick each other up. If you stuck with me through my recovery, I can stick with you through all of this.” Asami pulled her girlfriend closer, put a hand on her hip, and leaned on her head. Now more than ever, she was thankful to be with Korra.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
If there was one thing Bolin didn’t expect to wake up to, it was the scent of a home-cooked meal. If his nose was right (which it usually was, with such matters), there were some omelets and bacon cooking in the next room over. A puzzling scent, considering his girlfriend was currently adhering to a strict vegetarian diet, but a welcome one. 

Following his nose out of bed, Bolin stumbled into the kitchen to find Opal preparing breakfast for the two of them. The radio was tuned in to one of the local music stations while she cooked.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” She greeted, having overheard the zombie shamble his way into the living room.

“Oh, I love you…” Bolin replied to the sight, his stomach agreeing with him. Opal laughed, looking back and suggesting he take a seat – she was almost done.

Opal had been spending a lot of time tending to Bolin since he was hurt by the Chi Eater, accompanying him to his healing sessions and helping him whenever he needed her to. For the most part he was fine, but he would’ve been lying if he said he didn’t like the extra attention. The doctor’s orders were to take it easy for a while though, so while Mako put his nose back to the grindstone as soon as he could, Bolin had been stuck with desk duty. Not that he really minded it either way – it was nice to take it easy sometimes.

Setting hers and Bolin’s plates on the table in front of the couch, she took a seat on the beat-up old sofa next to her boyfriend. Their apartment was too small for a proper table and some chairs, so they usually just ate at here to the sound of the radio.

“Not that I’m complaining, but what’s with the bacon? I thought you didn’t like meat?” Bolin asked. Aside from it being Air Nomad tradition to go vegetarian, Opal didn’t really care for the stuff. 

Though honestly, the vegetarian rule was more of a suggestion, these days; since the expansion of the Air Nation after Harmonic Convergence, there were a lot of new recruits who weren’t too keen on changing their whole dietary lifestyle. It was preferred that you didn’t, and you weren’t allowed to in the temples, but now, if you were an Airbender, you could eat meat if you really wanted to.

“Today is your last day of desk duty,  _ and _ your last healing session. I figured you might want to celebrate.” Opal explained with a smile.

“Good call,” Bolin grinned, wasting no time digging in. “I should get hurt more often, this week was nice.” He joked, speaking with his mouth full. Opal shook her head. Manners never were one of Bolin’s strong points.

“Yeah, well, I hope you made the most of it. If your brother’s any indication, you’re going to be pretty busy again soon.”

“Nah, Mako’s just weird – he actually  _ likes _ pulling all-nighters. He really needs a hobby.” Bolin diagnosed, taking a sip of some orange juice. “Things should be a lot less freaky now that the Chi Eater’s gone, though. It’s gonna be back to busting triads for this beat cop! I’m actually kind of excited.”

“Easy there, supercop, you just got back on your feet.”

“Psh, I’ve never felt better! It’s like I never broke a rib!” Bolin exclaimed, lightly pounding his chest for emphasis only to break into a painful coughing fit. Maybe that wasn’t the best idea. “Okay, so, maybe I  _ should _ ease back into things,”

Opal shook her head again. “Gee, you think?” She teased, placing a hand on her boyfriend’s back. “I think that’s enough work talk for one morning, before you try to prove something else.”

“Yeah, okay,” Bolin agreed, wiping a few tears from his eyes now that he’d caught his breath again. It seemed he’d be a little tender for a while.

“Hey, so, how about the mover tonight? Ooh, and that party! Let’s talk about that instead,” Opal suggested, visibly excited. “I haven’t been to a proper party since Varrick’s wedding. I can’t wait to just sit back, drink, and relax.”

“Ooh, yeah! Speaking of Varrick, I heard Ryuuki left him in charge of planning it so that he could spend more time rebuilding the arena! It’s gonna be a lot of fun.  _ And _ we’re finally gonna get to see the end of The Dancing Dragons!” Bolin was getting excited just thinking about it. Tonight was gonna be great.

“Makes sense why it’s being held in the highest end club in Republic City, then. Varrick’s never done anything in half measures.” Opal rolled her eyes.

“Well, it’s not like that’s a bad thing, there’s a lot to celebrate! The mover, the donation, the Chi Eater, Kuvira’s sentencing – I can see why he’d wanna splurge a little bit. Today’s gonna be a good day, I can feel it.”

“I hope so.” Opal said, her smile weakening just a bit. “With any luck, the Tribunal will do the right thing and make an example out of Kuvira. If they do that, there really will be a lot to celebrate.”

Bolin winced. He already knew Opal’s feelings on Kuvira, but that didn’t mean they caught him any less off-guard every time. It seemed so out-of-character for her. He understood it, to a point, but… “…So yeah, I’m excited for that party!” Bolin said, struggling to return the topic to a lighter subject.

“Right, right, sorry,” Opal apologized. She’d promised herself she wasn’t going to talk about this today. “Me too.” She said, her smile returning to her.

“… _ slated to re-premiere tonight at 8. And now on to our top story: Kuvira’s trial is finally coming to a close! Following some last minute testimony by the Avatar, the Tribunal is expected to announce her sentence late this afternoon. A trial like this has not been seen in nearly a hundred years, and neither have these sorts of crimes: Kuvira is expected to be charged with up to 48 counts, including the creation and use of a weapon of mass destruction, multiple human rights violations, and murder. Given the very public nature of her crimes and the vast amount of evidence to support these charges, there is little doubt that she will be found guilty. _

_ Instead, doubt has been cast on what the disgraced ‘Uniter’ s’ sentence will end up being. Even a month ago, life imprisonment would’ve seemed a foregone conclusion, but a recently rediscovered law regarding capital punishment put forward by disgraced late former councilman Tarrlok has changed all of this. It was rediscovered by Judge Zhu Wong of Zaofu and has reportedly been discussed at length by all parties involved in the trial, skewing general consensus toward the idea that the Tribunal may very well be going for the death penalty. But as the Avatar’s testimony draws nearer and nearer, this consensus has been called into question. _

_ All this week, Avatar Korra has joined Master Tenzin of the Air Nation in voicing a strong disapproval of this law, stating that it should be stricken from the books and that Kuvira should be ‘spared from a cruel, unjust law snuck in by a cruel, unjust man’ . Avatar Korra in particular cited the fact that its intended use was on the non-benders of Republic City, and that aside from being morally reprehensible, to exercise it in any capacity would only serve to vindicate the disgraced late former councilman. The debate over whether Kuvira should live or die has sparked protests and counter-protests all around Republic City and outside of the courthouse today, and we take you now to-” _

Opal clicked off the radio. Her smile was completely gone. Any hopes she may have had of a relaxing morning with her boyfriend were now thoroughly dashed, and her mood had soured considerably.

She knew all of this already. She knew that Kuvira might end up getting out of this alive, even if she didn’t deserve to. But hearing it again and again, and all the fanfare about Korra joining Tenzin, lending more legitimacy to the Airbenders and their protests… 

Tenzin, she could understand. He was a peaceful, non-violent man. He’d been trying his hardest to help Opal through her feelings, but they came from different worlds. Opal couldn’t hold it against him. The Air Nation was the same way.

But Korra… she wasn’t like Tenzin. She’d seen what Kuvira had done first-hand. She’d seen what Kuvira was like, how ruthless and persistent she was, how she would never give up. And yet Korra thought Kuvira deserved  _ mercy _ , that she’d somehow gone against her nature and  _ learned _ from all of this. 

But Opal knew better. Opal knew exactly what kind of a person Kuvira really was. Maybe she’d been hoping Korra would see it, too. But all this week, the fact that she hadn’t just made Opal angry. She knew it was probably wrong to feel the way she did, but she didn’t care. The hate she had for Kuvira was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before in her life. It was eating her alive.

“…Opal…?” Bolin asked, trying to recapture his girlfriend’s attention. She’d frozen by the radio, hands at her sides and a grim look upon her face. It was as if in an instant, all the joy had been sucked out of her. To Bolin, it was like watching a bird fall from the sky. He felt helpless as Opal closed her eyes, sighing with a degree of anger and frustration he hadn’t heard from her since Kuvira captured her family.

“I should’ve known.” She quietly began, practically shaking. “Of all people, I should’ve known  _ she _ wouldn’t understand. I should’ve known it in the limo, but I hoped… with all these people… I hoped maybe Korra might actually get it. I can’t believe I was so stupid.”

“Opal…” Bolin didn’t know what to say. He’d been afraid of this all week, and now it was happening – she was blaming Korra. It seemed Opal had finally reached her breaking point. “You know that’s not true, of course Korra understands. It’s just…” Bolin trailed off, trying to think of how best to phrase what he was thinking.

“Just what, Bolin? Did you forget what Kuvira did to the Earth Kingdom? To this city? To my  _ family _ ? Because it sure seems like Korra has. Tenzin I get, he thinks everybody can ‘find peace’ or whatever, it’s how he was raised. But Kuvira doesn’t deserve to ‘find peace’, she deserves to be  _ punished _ .” 

“Nobody’s saying she won’t be. But they haven’t reached a verdict yet, maybe it’s not as bad as you think,” Bolin rushed to say, not really sure  _ why _ he was saying it.  _ He _ didn’t want Kuvira dead, he was with Korra on this one. But Opal was just so angry. Any time Kuvira came up, she was like a completely different person. It was a mistake when he mentioned her before. He’d been hoping to avoid this, but maybe today it was just unavoidable. Maybe this fight needed to happen.

“Bolin, stop.” Opal raised her hand for emphasis. “She’s the Avatar. When she talks, people listen. If she’s going all-in against this, I don’t think it’s going to happen.” She sounded… sad? Bolin was growing more uncomfortable by the second. This wasn’t the Opal he knew.

“So, what, you want her to die? How does that make you any better than her?” Bolin snapped. Opal froze, the look on her face a sort of rage he couldn’t even begin to describe. Maybe he shouldn’t have said that.

“ _ Excuse _ me?” Opal asked, standing up from the couch. She nearly knocked over the table with how quickly she got up, prompting Bolin to grab their glasses before they fell to the floor. “I am  _ nothing _ like her.”

“Yeah, well, whenever she gets mentioned, it sure doesn’t seem like it. She tried to kill us for getting in the way of her idea of peace. Now you want to see the United Republic kill her? For what, justice?”

“She’s a monster, Bolin! All she knows how to do is take and destroy! For as long as Kuvira is alive, she’s going to be a threat to me, to my family, to the United Republic, to  _ everybody _ ! You have  _ no clue _ what she’s capable of! You were serving right under her and you didn’t get it until it was almost too late! But I grew up with her. She doesn’t deserve mercy.”

“Opal…” Bolin was at a loss for words. He almost felt like he was going to cry. “What happened to you?”

“Kuvira happened.” Opal said, sighing loudly. “This is what she does, Bolin. She breaks things. Even people.” She sat back down, sounding a little calmer now. “I know how all of this sounds. I see the way you’re looking at me. I know. I’m never like this, with anybody. But please. Trust me when I tell you that Kuvira doesn’t deserve to live. Not after everything she’s done. Not just to the Earth Kingdom, or the United Republic, but to  _ me _ .”

“I…” Bolin got the feeling she wasn’t just talking about her family anymore. “What did she do?”

“Well, I didn’t get those scars you saw from being clumsy.” Opal claimed. Bolin gulped. “Kuvira’s never changed, and she never will.”

“I still don’t think that means she has to die.” Bolin admitted quietly. Opal nodded.

“I know. I know you’re with Korra and Tenzin on this one. You’re so kind.” She said, smiling weakly. “This isn’t a fight I wanted to have with you. I’m sorry I snapped.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t know. I mean… I knew you took this whole thing personally, but I guess I just didn’t know why.” Bolin sighed. “I still can’t agree with you on this. And I hope you find it in your heart to change your mind. But I don’t want her to break  _ us _ , too.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time if she did.” Opal reminded. Bolin frowned. He supposed not. “But I agree. I don’t want her to ruin this, either. I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

“…You need to get going to work. I’ll clean up.” Opal said, clearly dejected. Rising from the couch again, she began collecting hers and Bolin’s dishes from the table.

“Are you sure? I can afford to be a little late, if-”

“I’ll be fine.” Opal insisted. “Please, just. Go. And have a good day, okay?”

Bolin’s frown deepened. But there was nothing more to say. “Okay.” Giving Opal a peck on the cheek, Bolin grabbed his jacket and walked out the door. This wouldn’t be the last time they spoke about this today.

 

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

 

As Korra sailed through the air to the courthouse, she was surprised by just how many people had gathered out front to protest. They were separated into two very distinct crowds, one calling for Kuvira’s execution, and the other protesting ‘Tarrlok’s Law’, as it had come to be known. It seemed the duties of the Tribunal had become twofold, then. However they ruled would likely decide United Republic law – if not  _ world _ law – for years to come.

Korra sighed. This was not going to be fun. She could already see the press lining the courthouse steps, flash bulbs going off at the sky as they caught glimpse of her silhouette coming into view. It could’ve been any Airbender really, but even from this distance they could somehow tell it was Korra. She was already dreading the landing. As a kid, she never would’ve guessed  _ this _ would be how she would spend most of her time as the Avatar – not beating up bad guys, but giving speeches.

She braced herself for the inevitable flood of questions before her testimony and came in for a landing. As if on cue, the voices flooded in the instant her feet touched the ground. They didn’t miss a beat. She must’ve been bombarded with over a dozen before she even got the chance to turn around, but she was starting to get better at discerning individual questions out of the sea of voices. Ones she’d actually be willing to dignify with an answer, which admittedly weren’t many, usually.

But this time was different. With Kuvira, she was taking a moral stand, one she felt it was very important to articulate. She wasn’t Aang, though. This wasn’t her specialty, and it showed. But with all eyes on her, it was time for her to make that stand and say her piece, before she went in and gave her testimony to the Tribunal. Korra zeroed in on one of the reporters and asked him to repeat his question, the rest of the press quieting down so that they could hear the exchange.

“Hao Wai, Republic City Chronicler,” Introduced the man in the bowler hat. “Your defense of Kuvira to the press has come under harsh criticism this past week. Some fear you’re becoming a Kuvira apologist, and that given your role as the Avatar, your testimony may sway the decision of the court in your favor regardless of whether or not it sets the right precedent. How do you respond to these criticisms? Is it true you wish to see Kuvira go free, even despite all she’s done?”

“What? No, of course not!” Korra immediately responded, looking more than a little offended at the insinuation. “Not thinking Kuvira should die and thinking she should go free are two completely different things. I’m not saying she shouldn’t be punished, I’m just saying that I don’t think killing her is the way to go. If you ask me, the idea of a ‘death penalty’ for your crimes, no matter how bad they were, is insane.”

“There are many who, in these times of uncertainty and change for the former Earth Kingdom, fear the rise of another dictator like Kuvira. These people believe she should be made an example of as a result, as a deterrent to would-be copycats. You don’t believe this is the correct approach, then?”

“Absolutely not. What Kuvira did was terrible, unforgivable even. There’s no denying that. And I’m not asking  _ anybody _ to forgive her. But killing her isn’t the answer. It’s not going to solve anything. You mentioned something about ‘setting the right precedent’ before – well I think that’s what I’m doing right now. Killing somebody after the fact isn’t justice, it’s revenge. Kuvira willingly surrendered herself to the authorities, she’s taking responsibility for her actions. I think killing her now isn’t just unnecessary, it’s wrong. In fact, I don’t think it’s a punishment at all.”

“Would you care to elaborate on that statement?” Hao asked. Korra sighed. She wasn’t really sure how to put this.

“Well… if you ask me, a punishment is something somebody can learn from. But if you kill somebody, they can’t exactly learn from what they did. Even though what Kuvira did was horrible, I think she deserves the opportunity to learn from her mistakes, same as everybody else. If she never learns, she never learns – she’ll be in prison for the rest of her life whether she does or doesn’t. I think that’s the best we can hope to do.”

“Avatar Korra, Mimi Hara, United Republic Today,” Another reporter introduced, a woman in a lavender dress. “It sounds as though you are completely opposed to killing. Does this mean if you had been left with no other choice, and it was either kill Kuvira or let her take Republic City, you would have done nothing?”

“If there’s another option, I’m always going to take that over killing somebody.” Korra replied, becoming more and more firm in what she was saying the more she said. “I’m not Aang. Not in the slightest. But he managed to find a way to end the Hundred Year War  _ without _ killing the Fire Lord, and I’ve always respected him for that. He did things his way and found another solution with Energybending. But if it ever comes to a point where there is no other solution, I will do whatever I have to do, even if that means killing somebody – just like I did with the Chi Eater.”

“Let’s assume the courts agree with you then,” Mimi supposed, moving on to her next question. “And let’s say they chose life imprisonment over death. Where do you plan to go from there? What are your plans for Kuvira? Would you be visiting her at all during her sentence? What of her co-conspirator, Bataar Beifong Jr., for that matter?”

“I would like to speak with them if they’ll let me, yeah.” Korra confirmed, surveying the crowd. Protesters on both sides had long since silenced to listen to the Avatar speak. 

“As the Avatar, it’s my job to keep balance in the world, but I… haven’t always done the best job of that. I mean, it was because of my time recovering after the Red Lotus that Kuvira ever rose to power in the first place. But during my recovery, I think I came to understand something, and that is that true balance in the world comes from within, on an individual level – not on some gigantic, worldwide scale. I mean… sometimes, yeah, there are threats like that which need to be taken care of, but even situations like those are just the result of people or forces being out of balance.

Look at Amon, for example. He wanted equality, but had nothing to balance out his ideals, no morals or limitations. Or the Red Lotus. All they wanted was freedom, but they were willing to take it at any cost, and did nothing to balance out their or the rest of the world’s more destructive tendencies. Kuvira’s no different, in my eyes, and I think we can  _ all _ learn something from her mistakes. And, if she’s willing to listen, I’d like to help her find balance, too, so that maybe she can learn from them as well. It’s an opportunity I think everybody deserves.”

“Then what do you have to say to the families affected by Kuvira, or who have had loved ones taken away from them by her or her forces, the ones who are looking for justice?”

“I’d say justice is being served, right now. There’s nothing we can do to bring back what we lost, but we can build something new from the pieces left behind. Something stronger. In Republic City, we’re all hurting after Kuvira’s attack, in one way or another. But we shouldn’t let that get the best of us. Vengeance isn’t justice, and it isn’t going to change anything. In my opinion, we should be the better person and keep moving forward.”

“Jun Ho Kim, Republic City Underground,” A third reporter introduced, looking to be dressed a bit more cheaply than the others. “Following off of Kuvira, is it true that it was her destruction of the Spirit Wilds and the creation of a new Spirit Portal that prompted the Chi Eater to attack? Should we be charging her for the death and destruction it caused, as well?”

“The Chi Eater was an entirely separate event, it had nothing to do with Kuvira.” Korra assured. Jun Ho clearly wanted more than that, though. Korra just wasn’t sure how much she could reveal to the press. “Put simply, the Chi Eater was a corrupted spirit that predated Harmonic Convergence. We still don’t know why it chose to attack Republic City or how it became corrupted, but it’s been bugging me, too. Those are things I’m going to continue investigating when I can.” And that was an Avatar promise. The reporter looked satisfied for now.

“Now, as much as I’d love to stand here and answer all you guys’ questions, I think I’ve said all I have to say right now.” Korra said, looking back to the courthouse behind her. “Now I’m going to go give my testimony so we can finally put this whole Kuvira situation behind us. I’ll be free to answer more of your questions then.” She said, wincing a bit at her own promise. A job was a job, and they’d probably have more to say after she got out of there.

For now though, she had a testimony to give.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to tumblr user l-a-l-o-u for beta reading this chapter, and helping touch up Asami's moment with Korra. I don't think this chapter would be as good as it is without you!


	12. Lost Cause

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a chance meeting with Ravi tips Korra off to the lack of older spirits in Republic City, the Avatar decides to investigate. Meanwhile, the verdict has come down on Kuvira's trial, and it's on Lin and Suyin to deal with the aftermath.

**Book 5  
Chi**

**Chapter 12  
Lost Cause**

 

Slumping into a park bench, Korra huffed. “Well, that could’ve gone better,” She complained, reeling from the 45 minutes of post-trial questioning she’d just endured. It would’ve been one thing if they were new questions, but a lot of them seemed to be retreads of the same small handful. Either these people were dense, or they were hoping she’d slip up and say something they could paint as outrageous. She didn’t think she had, but she could never tell with Republic City’s news media.

After all, she’d taken a somewhat unpopular stance today. The Air Nation was drumming up a lot of support for keeping Kuvira alive, but as Korra had pointed out before, there was still a lot of hate. All she could do was hope that she’d stemmed the tide of that today, at least a little bit. Still, she expected a dozen think pieces by tomorrow morning trying to find some sort of fault in her reasoning they could exploit. Everybody wanted to say they knew better than the Avatar.

She’d spent so much of her time as the Avatar fighting threats with faces; this was the first time she actually had to tackle one that was a bit more social than it was physical. It was exhausting, even more than most of her fights. But that was okay. She’d honestly take this over another Amon or Zaheer any day.

“Maybe so, but I thought you handled yourself rather well, if I do say so myself,”

Korra jumped in her seat the second the low, booming voice of Ravi rumbled over the ambiance of the park. Turning her head around, she would see him standing right behind her, waving hello.

“Oh, Ravi, hey,” Korra greeted, laughing off her initial shock. “Come to admire your handiwork?” She asked, referring to his recently completed renovation of the park named in her honor. Ravi shook his head, and Korra motioned for him to take a seat beside her. She hadn’t had the chance to talk to him all that much yet, but was curious to get to know him a little better.

“Not exactly,” Ravi replied with a smile, gladly accepting her offer and sitting down next to the Avatar. “I was just overseeing the construction of the western gate, and the installation of the last two Waterbending sculptures that young Beifong kid donated to the park. Your Q&A session happened to be on the radio while I was working. I didn’t think I’d find you here so soon after – and sitting in front of your own statue, no less. Some people may call that conceited, you know,”

“Pssh, as if, this was just the first open bench I could find,” Korra defended. Ravi laughed. “I remember when Asami told me you planned to reopen this place in a week, I didn’t think you’d be able to do it. Looks like I was wrong. In fact, it looks even better than it did before. You did good.”

“The Avatar bet against me? I’m hurt,” Ravi joked, placing his hand over his chest. “But at least you didn’t lose 100 yuans over it. One of the volunteers actually bet against me, thinking it was impossible. I’m not much of a gambling man, but it’s a different story when I know I’m going to win.”

“Somebody’s confident. I like that.” Korra smiled.

“It wasn’t that much work, honestly. Some Earthbenders to fix the overturned earth and transplant some trees, Waterbenders to bend the stream back into shape, the replacement of a bridge, the addition of some sculptures… really, I’d say it only took as long as it did because of all the new stuff we’ve been adding.”

“Which looks great, by the way. I’m not really a fan of Huan’s stuff usually, but he did a good job with these.”

“Glad to hear it. This is  _ your _ park, after all.”

Korra laughed. “It’s  _ everybody’s _ park, it just got named after me,” She insisted. “But it’s nice to see people and spirits hanging out around here again. You did a good job. Thanks.”

“I aim to please.” Ravi smiled. “Though, I do wish more spirits would have returned to the city by now. They used to love this place.”

Korra looked confused. “Uh… there’s plenty of spirits around right now, aren’t there?” She asked, glancing around once more to be sure. “They’ve been coming back in droves ever since I took down the Chi Eater.”

“Mm. The young ones, at least.” He remarked, his gaze fixed on the portal on the horizon. When he turned back to Korra, her look of confusion caught him by surprise. “…Have you not noticed? None of the older spirits have returned yet. It’s had me a little concerned, if I’m being honest. The portal is so close, but there’s nothing.”

Korra hadn’t. She hadn’t interacted with enough to notice, and she couldn’t tell a spirit’s age by just looking at it. She was surprised Ravi picked up on it at all. “…No, I didn’t. But Republic City’s taken a lot of hits lately, from Kuvira, to the triads, to the Chi Eater… maybe they’re just losing faith in this place.” Korra frowned. “At least the little ones don’t seem to be worried.”

“I wonder about that.” Ravi said, prompting Korra to raise an eyebrow. Did he know something that she didn’t? “I’ve only talked to a few of them, but I get the sense that there’s something deeper going on. Perhaps it is something you can look into? It would certainly ease my mind to know for sure.”

“Of course.” How could she ignore a direct request like that? But the fact that Ravi noticed the spirits before she had left Korra feeling uneasy. Maybe she should be spending more time with them than she had been? Unless…

“You know, now that I think about it… a lot of things have been bugging me since I took down the Chi Eater. Mostly about the Chi Eater itself, but, other things too. Like… I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that I’ve been missing something important. Something obvious. And I don’t know why. I’ve just been ignoring it because of this whole Kuvira thing, but maybe this was part of it?” Korra thought aloud, trying to piece things together for herself. But she seemed unsure of her own conclusion.

“It’s not impossible. I wouldn’t doubt your Avatar instincts, myself.”

“Ha, I don’t think they’re  _ that _ finely tuned,” Korra countered. “Maybe I’m just overthinking it. Maybe Raava picked up on something I didn’t and that’s why I’ve been feeling this way.”

“I wonder about that,” Ravi looked to Korra. “The press has a habit of being pretty harsh with you from what I’ve seen, but as far as Avatars go, I think you’ve done a pretty good job so far. And if your Q&A today was any indication, you may be a bit wiser than you think. You shouldn’t doubt your own abilities so much. Personally, I have great faith in you. I’m confident you’ll figure it out.”

“Ravi…” Korra was speechless. She admittedly didn’t know Ravi all that well, but she still never would’ve expected that sort of a pep talk from him. He didn’t seem the type. Though she supposed Asami  _ had _ described him as a gentle giant. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

“Of course. Perhaps you should bring this up with Asami, too? She’s a pretty smart girl. With the two of you together, I’m sure you could figure it out.”

“That’s a great idea,” Korra agreed. She’d been so focused on the trial and how Asami was feeling about it, she hadn’t thought to ask her about it yet. “I  _ am _ gonna see if I can’t figure anything out for myself, first, though. I mean, I’m already here, I can just talk to a couple of spirits and see what they have to say.”

“Of course. But it doesn’t hurt to have somebody else to bounce ideas off of.”

“No, it does not,” Korra smiled. “I’m really glad to have her in my corner. I don’t know why I’m so stubborn and don’t rely on her more than I do.” Her smile began to fade. “Well, no, I guess that’s not true.”

“What do you mean? If you don’t mind my asking, of course,” Ravi quickly corrected.

Korra bit her lip. “I dunno. I think I’m a little afraid of her showing me up? It’s ridiculous, I know. But she’s been doing it a lot lately and I just feel…” She wasn’t sure of the right word to use. Inadequate, maybe? “Not good enough for her.” That would do. Korra sighed. “And then on top of that, I’m afraid she’s going to get herself hurt making up for one of my mistakes, or trying to protect me. I’m the Avatar, that’s supposed to be  _ my _ job.”

Ravi hummed. “This sounds like something you should be discussing with Asami.” Korra nodded in agreement. She knew that, but… “But it seems to me that you need to have more faith. In yourself and in Asami.”

“I know. I know she’s capable, but I can’t stop worrying about her. If anything happened to her, I’d…”

“Just take it one thing at a time. Talk to her. She is a very understanding woman, and she is head over heels for you. I am sure she will listen and that you two will figure this out.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

“I know I am,” Ravi smiled. There goes that confidence again. Korra couldn’t help but smile, too.

“Thanks, Ravi.” Catching him by surprise, Korra leaned in and gave him a hug. “I’ll try talking to her later. But first, I’m gonna see if I can’t get to the bottom of this spirits thing.”

“Okay. I wish you luck, in both endeavors,” Ravi said, watching Korra stand up from the bench, stretch out her back, and then grab the glider staff she’d left resting against it. Before she left, though, she suddenly remembered something.

“Oh, right! I’m sure you’ve heard about the party by now, but are you gonna be there tonight?” She asked, hoping to have another chance to talk with him. Ravi nodded.

“I’m not much of a party animal, but Asami insisted I take the time off. It’ll be nice to see everyone again and talk some more. You and Asami have some interesting friends,” He smiled.

“Heh, comes with the territory I guess,” Korra supposed, rubbing the back of her neck. “But I can’t wait, honestly. I don’t think I’ve had a chance to relax with everybody since Varrick’s wedding. I mean, I’ve had plenty of time to relax with Asami, of course, but, I miss the rest of my friends too,” She corrected.

“Of course,” Ravi nodded along. “I hear it was quite the event, I’m a little sad I missed it. Things were pretty hectic right after the attack though, and then Asami came to me later that night asking if I could run the company for her for a little while. There was never any time for me to pop in, but I was hoping to meet you then.”

“Ah, yeah, Asami did say she tried to get us to meet a few times since I came back, but nothing ever really panned out. I was starting to think the enigmatic Ravi was avoiding me,” Korra teased, prompting Ravi to laugh.

“No, no, I’m just a workaholic, I assure you. I’m sure you’ve seen how easily Asami can get lost in things by now, yes? Just multiply that by about ten, and that would be me on an average day,” He explained. “And yet here we both are, completely by chance. It’s funny how things work out sometimes, isn’t it?”

Korra smiled. It was. “…Right, didn’t I say I should get going like five minutes ago?” She asked, looking around to make sure there were still spirits for her to talk to. “I’ve still got a lot I wanted to do today.”

“Ah, you and me both,” Ravi confessed, rising from the bench. “But it was nice getting to talk with you again, Avatar Korra. Once again, I wish you luck with the spirits,” He repeated, extending his hand. Korra met it with a firm shake.

“It was. I’ll see you later tonight,” She smiled, letting the man be on his way. Now that it was just her again, she could get back to work. Lin had left Mako in charge of setting up security and Korra promised to stop in and help, make sure there were no more corrupted spirits hanging around, but talking to the ones in the park came first. With any luck, it wouldn’t take her too long.

  
  


*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
  


Though it had only been a couple of hours since Korra’s testimony, the Tribunal had arrived at a decision. It had come down quicker than anybody expected, with the only argument between the judges having been whether or not to exercise Tarrlok’s Law. Though the debate was fierce, the decision was unanimous. Korra and the Air Nation had won – Kuvira would live.

Unsurprisingly, this decision did not go over well with everybody. Outside of the courthouse, the crowds that’d been gathered all day roared back to life. The side that had been calling for Kuvira’s head was outraged, while the side that had been rallying against Tarrlok’s Law openly celebrated. Justice had been served and the honor of the Republic preserved, so far as they were concerned.

Now came the dangerous part.

With all of these people assembled out front and no rear exit to the building, Kuvira would have to be escorted through the crowds and into the back of an armored car, surrounded on all sides by protesters. Then, a short drive to the docks would precede a second trip by boat back to her wooden cell, this time for good. But getting her through that crowd was no easy feat – there wasn’t a doubt in anybody’s mind that somebody would try  _ something _ on her.

When she finally emerged from the courthouse, Kuvira was flanked on both sides by the Beifong sisters, with an additional four Metalbending officers formed up two behind her and two in front. Though the crowd was divided on how she should be sentenced, the booing that erupted when she began walking down the courthouse steps was unanimous. She had no allies here.

Some people just shouted at her, calling her all manner of names and slurs, while others threw whatever they could in her direction. Crumpled up pieces of paper, the drinks in their hand – some Earthbenders even sent some small rocks her way. The Metalbenders deflected what they could, but some of it still got through and pelted the Great Uniter. Through all this, Kuvira’s expression did not waver. The Beifongs caught in the crossfire showed more emotion than she did.

“This is for my sister, you bitch!” There it was – a would-be assassin, exactly as feared. A Firebender who was skilled enough to be conjuring lightning he was preparing to shoot her way. Kuvira glanced in his direction, but still, her expression did not change. She just looked on blankly as the two officers on her left fired their cables into the crowd and restrained the man before he could finish.

Pulled to the ground, he hit the concrete chin-first and grunted, another officer who’d been doing crowd control putting his arms behind his back and cuffing him. But even if he’d failed, he’d sparked something in the crowd. Others were trying to take shots at Kuvira now, too. Earthbenders, Firebenders, Waterbenders – most of them were restrained before they could do anything, but a few elements actually had to be dodged.

Kuvira’s head was forced down by Suyin as fire sailed overhead, and for an instant she looked sad. But it was gone with the light of the flame, and a couple seconds later, she was escorted into the back of the truck along with Suyin, Lin, and two other officers. The remaining two Metalbenders were joined up with others outside of the vehicle, trying to manage the crowd, but it was rapidly descending into a riot. For Kuvira, as the platinum doors shut behind her, that angry mob would be the last sight she’d see in Republic City.

Taking a seat, Kuvira was now isolated with her adoptive mother and aunt, and two nameless officers who were not getting paid enough for this. The truck rocked before it could start moving, the people outside beating at the sides, trying to get at Kuvira. Visibly frustrated, Lin ordered the two officers out of the truck to help clear a path so that they could get moving. Dejected, the two obeyed, opening doors Lin pulled closed behind them and jumping back into the chaos.

The sound of earthen barriers rising from the ground was audible even from within the truck, along with rocks pelting metal throughout. A space was being carved out around the truck so that it could move. It took a minute, but finally, it rolled to a start, slowly but surely, the drive that followed totally silent. It was just Kuvira and the Beifongs now, completely alone, and awkward didn’t even begin to describe how they were feeling. The tension in the back of the truck could’ve been cut with a knife.

Suyin wondered how long it had been since she and Kuvira had been together like this, just sitting quietly across from one another. Three years, maybe? Since the beginning of the Red Lotus fiasco, at least. It was equal parts nostalgic and frustrating. Part of her wanted to talk like they used to, while another part of her wanted to watch her burn. So instead of saying anything, the Beifong matriarch just kept her mouth shut.

Kuvira, meanwhile, wondered why Suyin was here. She wasn’t police like her sister. She’d given some flimsy excuse about wanting to make sure Kuvira didn’t try anything, but Kuvira knew better than that. No, if it was Suyin, this was probably about family. Given everything she’d done to hurt them, Kuvira wouldn’t be surprised if Suyin was just waiting for her to try something, looking for an excuse to put her down. If that was the case, she was going to be disappointed.

And then there was Lin. She was just focused on the task at hand. Aside from what she did to Republic City, Lin didn’t have as much of a stake in this Kuvira thing as her sister did, and it showed. She looked bored. She was really only here because she was the Chief of Police and the city’s premiere Metalbender. But even she could see that Kuvira had changed. That fire inside her had died, and her eyes were cold and empty with nothing behind them. She was completely defeated. It was almost sad to look at.

Anything the three of them may have wanted to say, they were keeping it to themselves, lost in their own heads. Not a single word was shared, and before long, the truck had come to a stop. They were already at the docks. Lin hastened Kuvira and Suyin to stand up, and the two sisters led her out of the truck, down the pier, and into the boat that would take them the rest of the way. This would be a much longer trip than the one they’d just taken, as Kuvira’s prison was fairly far from Republic City’s shoreline.

So, the three of them sat down in the back of the boat, organized into the same configuration as before: a sister on each side with Kuvira sat in the middle. There was no room for them to do anything but sit in silence or talk.

After a moment, the boat set off.

Kuvira stared in Suyin’s direction, and just as it had any other time she looked at her, guilt washed over Kuvira at the sight. There were a lot of things she did during her tenure as the Great Uniter that Kuvira was still proud of. A lot of things she’d been willing to stand by in court, and that she  _ did _ stand by in court. But now, in the aftermath, what she’d done to Suyin and her family was not one of them.

Kuvira wanted to say something,  _ anything _ . To try to ease her own mind, to apologize. But no matter how hard she willed it, the words wouldn’t come out. Even when she herself thought she was wrong about something, she was still too proud to admit it. She clenched her teeth and looked away. She couldn’t do this. Thinking about Suyin and her family just reminded Kuvira of everything she’d lost, probably forever.

All of it made Kuvira wish they’d sentenced her to death. For a woman as proud as her, death would’ve been a mercy. She didn’t know why they didn’t just give it to her. It wasn’t like she didn’t deserve it. It would’ve made a lot of people happy. It would’ve been easier on the Republic. It would’ve been easier on  _ her _ .

Now, the state had to devote money and manpower to feeding and defending her, to keeping her alive when nobody wanted her to be. Not even Kuvira herself. Now, if she really wanted a way out, all she could do was either sit in her cell and starve herself to death slowly, or wait for somebody who was both stupid enough to try and lucky enough to succeed in killing her themselves. Honestly, she’d rather the glory of the latter than the indignity of the former.

As the boat bobbed atop the waves, the rattling of her platinum cuffs pulled Kuvira from her thoughts. The sudden shifting of her eyes down to her wrists caught Lin’s attention to her left, and the Chief’s body moved subtly as if she were getting ready to attack.

“I’m not going to do anything,” Kuvira said. Lin looked surprised to actually hear her talk. The silence had finally been broken. “That’s what you’re thinking, right? But even I can’t bend platinum.”

“It’s not the cuffs I was afraid of you bending,” Lin replied, referring to the machinery of the boat itself. There was still a lot of metal nearby she could have her way with if she had the mind to.

Kuvira said nothing, just flashing a weak smile for a second before returning to silence. But now her situation had changed, just a little bit. Now, Suyin was staring at  _ her _ . It made Kuvira uncomfortable. Uncomfortable enough that she actually spoke up for a second time.

“What do you want?” Kuvira asked, an accusing tone to her voice that she didn’t think was intentional.

“Nothing. I just know better than to take my eyes off of you, now.” Suyin crossed her arms, venom to her words. “Last time I did that, you turned my son into a war criminal.”

Kuvira laughed. She couldn’t help it. There was something about the way Suyin had said it, the vindictiveness in her voice and the disgust on her face. She’d seen it all a hundred times by now, with all the witnesses who took part in her trial. With Korra, even. Maybe it was the thought of the mighty Suyin lowering herself to the level of a common victim, but something about it amused her.

Kuvira’s smile quickly faded. She didn’t want to antagonize Suyin any more than she already had. “Sorry,” She apologized, turning away from Suyin and lowering her head. “But Bataar and I never saw ourselves as criminals. We were just trying to do what we thought was right, by whatever means necessary.”

“That doesn’t change what you did,” Suyin reminded her.

“No. But I want you, of all people, to understand why we did it. Maybe we didn’t go about it the right way, I don’t know. Personally, I still don’t feel bad about a lot of what we did. What else could we have done? The Avatar was gone, and  _ somebody _ needed to step up and grab the bullpig by the horns. We thought we were doing the right thing. Bataar thought he was a hero.”

“Only because  _ you _ misled him. It was like he was brainwashed. You have no idea how much it hurt to have my own son abandon me and imprison my family.  _ His _ family. However you two saw yourselves, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s going to spend the next thirty years behind bars because of you. Twenty, if he’s lucky.”

“I know. And I’m…” She couldn’t say it. Kuvira wanted to, but she couldn’t say the words. Suyin watched her for a moment, waiting, but the apology never came. “…Well. At least he has a chance of bouncing back from all of this, eventually. He’s not like me. I’m just a lost cause, right? I mean, that’s what you were calling me to the press, wasn’t it?”

Suyin’s eyes narrowed. “How did you hear about that?”

“My guards listen to that damn radio of theirs almost 24/7, I’m aware of  _ everything _ you were saying during my trial. I heard what the  _ whole city _ was saying. I heard about that Chi Eater thing you had to deal with last week, too. At least  _ that _ wasn’t my fault.” Kuvira shrugged, taking solace in at least that much. She’d caused Suyin enough grief. Though she couldn’t seem to bring herself to say as much directly.

“That remains to be seen.” Suyin spat back. Kuvira frowned. They both knew that wasn’t true, Suyin was just trying to upset her. It worked. “I don’t ever want you to speak about my son again. You don’t deserve to say his name after everything you put him through. Even if I disagreed at first, you made him happy. For a time, that was enough for me. But now… I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so empty.”

“Despite what you may think, there  _ are _ some things I did that I’m not proud of. Hurting Bataar is one of them.” Kuvira informed, turning back to Suyin. “At the time, I thought I had no other choice but to sacrifice my happiness for the sake of my people. But I was wrong. I’ve regretted that decision since the moment I made it. Everything else I did, good and bad, I can live with. But losing him-” The look on Suyin’s face brought Kuvira to a stop. She didn’t believe her.

“Please, don’t give me that. I know how you are. You don’t have regrets, you never have. You always went above and beyond with everything you did, sometimes to frightening extremes. I’m just disappointed in myself that I hadn’t seen what you were becoming sooner. Maybe if I had, things could’ve turned out differently, and I’d still have my son.”

“What about me?” Kuvira asked, louder than she intended. Her cool facade had cracked. “I was your daughter, too. Maybe if you’d actually done something, you could’ve saved me. Or does that not matter to you?” She accused. She couldn’t help it, she couldn’t regain her composure. Kuvira was angry now.

“You’ve always been a woman of half measures, Su. You like to act like you’re so wise and decisive, like you always know what’s best, but when push comes to shove, you’ve never had it in you to commit to what you need to do, and it always comes back to bite you in the ass. You couldn’t commit to leading your country, you couldn’t commit to stopping me when you had a chance at the coronation – I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you couldn’t commit to taking care of the little 8-year-old girl you pulled in off the streets, either. Maybe the only thing you’ve ever  _ really _ committed yourself to is constantly stroking that gigantic ego of yours.”

“Excuse me? I did everything I could for you, Kuvira. I treated you like one of my own, I gave you everything you ever could’ve wanted, I nurtured your talents, and you have the gall to say I never cared about you? I’m sorry you feel that way, but I loved you like you were mine. Was that just not good enough for you? How much is enough?”

“Please, I wasn’t your daughter, I was your  _ pet _ ,” Kuvira seethed. “You say you loved me, but you always kept me at arm’s length. It was never about me, it was about what I could do, what I could become. You didn’t want another child, you wanted another trophy, another testament to the great Suyin Beifong, like Varrick, or Aiwei, or that damn chef of yours. You always act so proud of them, but it’s not really about  _ them _ , is it? It’s always been about what they could do for  _ you _ . How they made  _ you _ look.”

Suyin opened her mouth to speak, but Kuvira cut her off. She wasn’t finished yet.

“Yes, okay? You gave me a life. You gave me a second chance, something I never would’ve had on my own. And you made sure I had every opportunity to learn and grow as a dancer, as a bender, as a part of your guard, but  _ not _ as a person. Never as a person. All you ever cared about was molding me into the perfect protege, a mirror image of you and your ambition. You’re one hell of a mentor, Su, but you were never a mother. Not to me. You might say all of that now, but I was never  _ really _ a part of your family.”

“That’s not true,” Suyin maintained.

“Yes it is! You loved them, but me? I was never like a daughter to you. I was never a Beifong. I could see it in your eyes. To you, I was just another Metalbending prodigy for you to look at and remind yourself how great you are. But you’re not, and I realized  _ that _ years ago.”

As she spoke, Kuvira wondered to herself what had gotten into her. She’d been content to keep quiet, to just give an apology and leave it at that, but it was like once she started talking, she couldn’t stop. She was starting to remember why she treated Suyin the way she did, and now that she was getting into it, she couldn’t stop herself from talking if she wanted to. She was putting everything she had to say to Suyin out there now, while she still could. Because after today, she might not get another chance.

“I spent years of my life trying to emulate you, to please you, hoping that maybe you’d treat me like you treated them. You have no idea what I did just to get on your good side, just to get you to notice me. But you never seemed to care. So when Raiko and Tenzin came to Zaofu that day and I watched you abandon your country when it needed you most, I had enough. I decided to do what you never had the guts to and  _ I _ took over.  _ I _ rebuilt the Earth Kingdom.  _ I _ spent years of my life fixing the damage the Earth Queen caused. And for what? Nothing! Everything I did, bad  _ and _ good, was undone in a day by that idiot prince!

Yeah, maybe I was wrong. Maybe I took it too far. But at least I actually tried to do something, and of that much, I will always be proud. Meanwhile, you get to add one more failure to your record –  _ me _ . And good luck covering this one up.” Finished, Kuvira fell back in her seat and let out a sigh. She’d been wanting to get all that off her chest for a while now, but part of her was already regretting it. Not just the vulnerability of it all, but the sentiment. Because even after all that, she still wanted to say she was sorry.

Lin and Suyin were speechless. Emotional outbursts were rare from Kuvira. But in a couple of seconds, she was back to her normal self, as if nothing had ever happened. When she opened her mouth to speak again, she was no longer so emotionally charged.

“And the worst part is, I still want to tell you that I’m sorry,” Kuvira finally admitted, the words another weight off her chest. “As much as I hate you, I love you. You were the closest thing I ever had to a mother, and I treated you and your family terribly. I had my reasons, but despite everything, there’s still some part of me that wishes we could just go back to the way we were before and try again. But we can’t. I’m sorry.”

Finally, Kuvira was done, and for a moment, she actually felt at peace. Some of that, she was working through for the very first time as she spoke. She felt like she’d taken a step in the right direction by finally getting it all out there, and while she wasn’t sure what kind of a response Suyin would have to it all, she at least hoped that she’d understand where she was coming from.

“Are you finished now?”

Kuvira’s heart sunk. Four words and it felt like she was just punched in the gut. Suyin hadn’t cared in the slightest.

“Su!” Lin admonished. But Suyin raised her hand to stop her before she began. She wasn’t finished.

“You can point fingers all you want, Kuvira, but the only one to blame for your actions is you. Maybe you’re right. Maybe I did fail you. Maybe I could have done more. Or, maybe nothing I could’ve done would’ve been enough, and we’d still be sitting here having this exact same conversation. And I’m sorry that we’re here now, I really am. I saw a lot of myself in you, and you can draw whatever conclusions you want from that, but I  _ tried _ , Kuvira. I’m sorry that it wasn’t enough for you, but I tried.”

Kuvira was silent.

“You can convince yourself of whatever you want, but you got to choose how you reacted to what you were feeling, and your choice was to lash out at everybody who ever cared about you. You called me a woman of half measures? Maybe you’re right. Maybe I could’ve benefited from being a bit firmer in my decisions and committing more to some of what I started. But I never had any half measures with you, and I’m not going to start now. What you’ve done to me and my family is unforgivable, and for what you did to your nation and the United Republic, you should probably be hanged. You should thank the Avatar if she ever decides to visit you. But as for me? I’m done.”

Suyin’s words were as sad as they were angry, but they were spoken with a genuine sense of finality. She was tired. Tired of dealing with Kuvira, tired of cleaning up after her messes, tired of being blamed for everything she did. Maybe she was a bad mother, but Kuvira’s actions were still her own, and she wasn’t about to let Kuvira pin them all on her.

“I wasn’t trying to shift the blame,” Kuvira said dejectedly, her eyes on the floor. “I was… well. I guess it doesn’t really matter.” Sighing, Kuvira closed her eyes. “I knew from the start that there wasn’t any fixing this. All I really wanted to do was say I was sorry.”

“Then stop focusing on yourself for once in your life and just say it!”

“I’m sorry,” Kuvira repeated. “I’m sorry.”

“...You’re too late.” She said sadly.

For the remainder of the trip, the three women were completely silent. There was nothing more to be said.

Jostling a bit as the boat came to a stop, Kuvira closed her eyes, inhaling deeply as she prepared herself for her final transfer. She spared a quick glance in Suyin’s direction and then stood up, a sister on each arm. As the door opened, she shielded her eyes, sunlight illuminating her face. It wouldn’t be long now until she was left alone in her cell for the very last time.

After standing there for a moment, adjusting to the light, Kuvira gave a nod and they were on their way up the stairs and onto the large wooden platform that would serve as her home for the remainder of her life. She found it ironic that her prison was modeled after one used for a member of the very group that spurred her into action in the first place. A small smile graced her lips as the thought occurred to her.

Escorted across the central structure, Kuvira stopped in front of her cage so that the chains around her hands and feet could be undone. She rubbed her wrists where they once clasped around them and looked over to Suyin one last time before calmly turning back around and entering the cell. She sat down in its center, her back to the Beifong sisters, and closed her eyes.

Lin headed back to the boat almost immediately, but Suyin lingered for just a moment, watching her adoptive daughter a little longer. She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly decided against it. She turned and left without a word. By the time Kuvira thought to look back, she was already gone.

  
  


*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

  
  


When it came to the spirits, luck did not appear to be on Korra’s side. 

When Kuvira was the problem, they fled without hearing her out. When the Chi Eater was the problem, they were already gone by the time she’d come back. Now, she couldn’t find a single one that was willing to talk to her. Even when they were young, they were pretty stuck-up creatures. Except that wasn’t even it, half the time. Half the time, they just said they were too busy to talk. Too busy… what did a spirit even have to be busy  _ about _ ?

Maybe she shouldn’t have been leading with questions about the Chi Eater. She wanted to know more about it, sure, but assuming any of these young spirits knew anything, she was probably just scaring them off. That thing was a rare predator as far as other spirits were concerned, there was probably still a lot of fear. She needed to let her concerns about the Chi Eater take a back seat and just focus on her promise to Ravi.

Next spirit she saw, that was what she was going to do. Korra had decided. But first, she needed a break. It certainly didn’t feel like it, but before she knew it, a few hours had gone by, and she’d learned nothing she’d set out to discover yet. Taking a seat beneath a replanted tree, Korra sighed. Her eagerness had been getting the best of her again. She thought she was past this, but apparently not. 

Taking a moment, Korra decided to reflect on her day.

Most of it had been completely dominated by the press. So far, her afternoon had been spent fruitlessly interrogating spirits in the park. Sometime soon, she had to book it over to Kun Long’s Theater and help Mako set up for the premiere. She made a promise to the city she’d scout the location for any hostile spirits, just in case. But before that, she was really hoping she’d get a chance to drop by Future Industries and check on Asami.

After this morning, she was a little worried about her. Asami seemed to be really struggling with this whole Kuvira thing. Korra wished there was more she could do about it. But if she dropped by with some lunch, maybe gave her a little massage, that would help lift her spirits a little. She really just wanted to make sure she was okay. Asami was good at compartmentalizing, but she had her limits. Korra wanted to be sure.

Fitting that into her schedule would be tough, though. Korra looked up at the sky. Tracking the position of the sun, moon, and stars to discern the time was a trick her dad had taught her on hunting trips when she was little. If she was right, it looked to be about 3pm. If she wanted to have the time to check in on Asami and still keep her promise to the city, she’d have to get going in the next half hour.

If she was going to keep her word to Ravi about finding out what was going on then, she’d have to get lucky. She’d also have to stop sitting around. She couldn’t do this later, because there was the premiere and the party to get to, and she didn’t want to miss out on either. Kuvira should also be sentenced pretty soon, and assuming she wasn’t given the death penalty, Korra wanted to visit her in prison as soon as possible. That meant she might not have the time to do this another day, not before the triads and the restructuring of the Earth Kingdom.

Sighing, Korra got back on her feet and looked around. There had to be a few spirits she hadn’t tried talking to yet. Deciding just looking wasn’t enough, she opted for one more quick stroll around the park to make sure. Most of the spirits she’d talked to earlier had moved on, but not too many new spirits had come around to take their place. Most of the park’s patrons right now were human. It was a little disappointing, and she was hoping she hadn’t missed her chance.

Then, a familiar little light spirit caught Korra’s eye, drawing the Avatar’s attention as she passed by. It seemed to be talking to a squirrel off to the side. “Ah, it’s you!” Korra exclaimed. She knew this spirit well.

The spirit, surprised by the sudden exclamation, leapt at Korra’s voice, scaring the squirrel away. “Who in the worlds…?” Turning to catch a glimpse of whoever called out to it, its leafy ears perked up almost immediately when it saw. “Avatar Korra!” It smiled, run-waddling in Korra’s direction. Once it was close enough, it stopped standing altogether, its leaves beginning to spin and levitate it off the ground at about Korra’s eye-level. “I’m so happy to see you again!”

“Me too. I never got to thank you for leading me to Toph. Turned out it was just what I needed to get back on my feet.” Korra smiled. The spirit beamed.

“I’m happy I was able to help! You seem to have done a lot since then. Everybody’s still talking about what you did to that horrible weapon a few weeks ago!”

Korra grinned. One more legendary feat under her belt, she supposed. “I’ve been pretty busy since then. I spent a couple weeks in the Spirit World, and then when I came back, I had to deal with this whole Chi Eater fiasco.” The light spirit suddenly frowned at the mention of the Chi Eater. Korra’s expression also shrunk. Maybe she shouldn’t have mentioned that.

“That poor thing...” The light spirit lamented. “I heard about that, too. I’m glad somebody finally put a stop to it, it had been suffering for so long. Thank you for setting it free, Korra.”

Even though it was thanking her, Korra’s grin didn’t return. “You say that, and even the Chi Eater itself thanked me when I did it, but I still feel bad that I had to kill it,” The Avatar lamented. “I wish there had been another way.”

“It was in so much pain though, and it was doing so many bad things. If it wasn’t the right thing to do, Raava would’ve stopped you! I don’t think you should worry too much about it,” The little spirit advised.

“I guess you’re right.” Korra sighed. Raava  _ would _ have stopped her. Maybe she was just overthinking things again. “There  _ is  _ a lot about the Chi Eater that’s been bothering me, though. I’ve been going around the park asking spirits about it all day, but nobody wants to talk about it.”

“The Chi Eater is a very sad story for us, we don’t like to talk about it too much. He used to be such a kind spirit, everybody loved him. That’s what the older spirits always told me.” The light spirit described. That explained that, then.

“That’s another thing I was wondering about, actually.” Korra reminded herself. “The real reason I started talking to all those spirits today is because a friend of mine noticed only young spirits are hanging out around the city right now. This park used to be crawling with spirits of all ages and sizes.”

“Oh, yeah. The elders have been warning us to stay away from Republic City right now, they keep saying it isn’t safe. But my friends and I missed this place! Your world is so strange and fun!”

“It isn’t safe? Have the Triads been messing with spirits or something lately?”

“What’s a Triads?” Korra laughed. Okay, so that wasn’t it. “No, they don’t think the Chi Eater is defeated yet. But everybody saw what you did! There’s no way the Chi Eater is still around. I think they’re just used to being scared.”

Korra could feel a pit in her stomach now.  _ That _ was why there weren’t many spirits around? “Why don’t they think it’s defeated?” She could already tell from the look on its face that the spirit didn’t know, but she needed to hear it first.

“I’m not really sure. They’d never tell me when I asked them, they all seemed too scared to say anything. They just said you hadn’t defeated it yet, and they didn’t want to come back to the city until it left. According to them, it always leaves after a month.”

That definitely lined up with what Korra knew about its feeding pattern. But she never did learn  _ why _ it needed to feed in the first place. “I don’t suppose you’d know why it ate people’s chi, would you?”

“No, I’m sorry.” The light spirit frowned. “All I know is that it really didn’t want to do it. It was always crying, it really hated doing what it did, but the elders always said it didn’t have a choice. They said it was made into that and forced to eat chi by somebody really bad a really long time ago.”

“Did they ever say who?”

“No. They’re always so scared when talking about the Chi Eater. If they knew, they didn’t want to say. They always just told us to stay as far away from the Chi Eater as possible or we’d get hurt. But I knew there was nothing to worry about. I told them Korra would stop it, and you did! Now it isn’t crying anymore and there’s nothing to be afraid of. Like I said, I think they’re just so used to being scared, they can’t believe it’s actually over now!”

Korra sighed. That wasn’t too much new information, but it was something: the older spirits didn’t think the Chi Eater was actually dead.  _ And _ she had confirmation now that what happened to it definitely wasn’t natural, and definitely wasn’t its own doing. But why didn’t the Avatar know about it already? Why was it ordered to eat people’s chi? Why did it eat spirits sometimes, too? There were still so many questions, Korra didn’t know how or where to begin.

“Is there anything else you can tell me about the Chi Eater?” 

“Hmm. The elders also said that since the portals are open, and there’s a portal in the middle of the city, neither world is safe anymore. Even though it was a spirit, whatever happened to the Chi Eater stopped it from being able to enter the Spirit World. Now, it could’ve come and gone as it pleased. We’re stronger in our world than we are here, though, so even if it had come over to our world, we’d have stood a better chance there than here. But I watched you defeat it, so that’s not a problem anymore!”

“You were there that night?”

“We didn’t make ourselves visible, but a lot of spirits were there! We’d never seen an Avatar fight the Chi Eater before. For some reason, the Avatar has always ignored it. We wanted to see if it could actually be defeated, and you did it!”

“Ignored it?”

“That’s what the elders said. But I didn’t get it, that didn’t sound like the Avatar to me.”

Korra frowned. A lot of what the light spirit was saying made sense. Since spirits could all energybend, it made sense they were stronger in a world made of energy. It would also make sense why the Avatar never stepped in before if they were just.  _ Ignoring _ the Chi Eater entirely. But why? Why would they do that? Did Aang know? When he investigated that village after the war, did he know what was going on and still do nothing? That didn’t sound like Aang at all. Korra couldn’t believe it. She refused.

“It doesn’t sound like it to me, either. And  _ I’m _ the Avatar. I think I would know, past lives or no past lives.” Korra defiantly proclaimed, crossing her arms. “Aren’t you at least a little scared, though? Ever since I fought the Chi Eater, something hasn’t felt right to me, and now you’re telling me older spirits think it isn’t dead yet. If that’s true, that might explain what I’ve been feeling, and I have no idea what to do. Doesn’t that worry you?”

“I’m not worried! Even if there’s something more, I’m sure you can stop it. The older spirits are just scared of leaving home because they’ve been there for so long, they’ll give up coming back here for the silliest things. But after how you dealt with Vaatu, and that weapon, and that sad Chi Eater spirit, I don’t think there’s anywhere safer than whatever world the Avatar is in.”

Korra smiled. This spirit had always tried to cheer her up and cheer her on. Despite her misgivings, it was completely confident in Korra’s abilities. Maybe Ravi was right. Maybe she needed to believe in herself a little more these days. She felt like she’d kind of lost that confidence after everything that happened to her. But maybe there was a balance to it. A certain degree of self-confidence that was good and healthy. Maybe she was finally starting to understand that.

“Thank you.”

“What for?”

“For believing in me.” Korra clarified. “I’ve been having a lot of trouble believing in myself lately, and it’s been causing a lot of problems for me. Maybe I need to start believing in myself a little more again.”

The light spirit smiled. “That’s what I would do!” Korra laughed. She liked this spirit.

“Thank you. This has helped, a lot. Now I know why there aren’t any older spirits in the city, and I have another lead on the Chi Eater to follow. I don’t know when I’m going to get the chance, but it’s something. I think I’m gonna travel into the Spirit World when I can and just ask the older spirits directly, before the month is over.”

“That sounds like a good idea to me!” The light spirit agreed. “I’m gonna go back to my friends now. We’re gonna explore Republic City today! It’s gonna be so much fun!”

Korra smiled. “I hope you enjoy yourself.”

“Thanks! I hope you find what you’re looking for!”

“Thanks.”

With that, Korra was left alone again. She hadn’t learned much, but she’d learned enough. The Chi Eater might still be out there somewhere. If that wasn’t cause for alarm, she didn’t know what was. Was that what felt so off to her? Had she already gleamed that, somehow? She’d have to make that visit to Asami a quick one. Helping the police set up for the premiere had suddenly become a lot more important.


	13. Bad Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra and the crew enjoy a night at a fancy jazz club for the after-party for The Dancing Dragons' premiere.

**Book 5  
Chi**

**Chapter 13  
Bad Blood**

 

The club’s patrons looked on in bemused awe at the scene unfolding in front of them: the CEO of Future Industries on a stage, serenading the room with a jazz standard recited specifically for the Avatar. Backed up by the club band, she sang with perfect pitch, and her deep, raspy voice was prompting the Avatar to melt in her chair.

It was well into the evening now, and the second showing of ‘ _The Dancing Dragons_ ’ had gone off without a hitch. Now, everybody was at the after party, living it up in one of Republic City’s most exclusive clubs. And it wasn’t just Korra’s group that was here, either – _all_ of the VIPs from the premiere had been invited, courtesy of Varrick. This meant it wasn’t just friends who were watching Asami perform, but strangers as well.

If any of this bothered Asami though, it didn’t show in her performance. Her target audience was enraptured and that was all that mattered to her. The sight of Korra staring up at her in disbelief, stars in her eyes, gave her confidence enough to command the stage like a natural.

“I bet _you_ never got her to sing like that, huh, Mako?” Bolin teased, playfully ribbing his older brother. But Mako refused to respond, so Bolin laughed and took another sip of his drink. He was seated between his brother and his girlfriend, and while Mako looked a little uncomfortable now, Opal couldn’t wipe the smile from her face.

The table they were seated at had been reserved specifically for Team Avatar, and it was one of the closest to the stage. So it was only a matter of time before one of the five friends dared another to get up and sing. But nobody expected anyone to actually _do it_ , let alone be so good at it. For Korra, who had never heard Asami sing before, it was a revelation.

As Asami finished her song, the room erupted into applause. It was only then that it hit her what she had done. Her face glowed red and she fumbled the microphone onto its stand, hurrying back down to her seat. Korra showered her with kisses when she arrived, then let her fiancee sink into her chair, as red as the dress she was wearing. She had no clue what’d come over her, but her friends seemed to have loved it. Bolin was already singing her praises.

“Seriously, I mean it, you should put out a record!” He exclaimed, prompting Asami to slink even further under the table. As this was going on, Mako slid a couple yuans Opal’s way. She accepted them gladly. “I can see it now: Asami Sato, jazz superstar – with special guest, Avatar Korra!”

“Sorry, but no. I don’t sing. I would absolutely support a solo career though.” Korra informed.

“That’s okay, soloists do better than duos, anyway.” Bolin shrugged.

“Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence,”

“What? No! I didn’t mean it like that!”

Korra laughed. “I’m just screwing with you, don’t worry about it.”

“Guys, stop! I am _not_ putting out a record!” Asami insisted. “Honestly, I don’t even know why I did that,”

“You did it because I dared you to, and it was _worth it_!” Bolin beamed.

“I mean, the alcohol probably helped.” Opal laughed.

“I wish, I haven’t had anywhere near enough for that yet.” Asami complained, quickly finishing what was left of her drink.

“Who’d have thought the song- the lovebird moonlighted as a songbird?” Mako teased, stumbling over his words a little bit.

“Great, now _Mako’s_ teasing me. He never teases _anybody._ ” Asami complained. Mako laughed.

“Maybe not sober Mako, but sober Mako isn’t here right now.” He informed, taking another sip of his drink.

“Wow, drunk Mako. It really _is_ a party.” Opal grinned.

“Not drunk, just tipsy,”

“Sure, says the guy who was hitting on Prince Wu earlier.”

“I was not!! We were just catching up!”

“Mhm, suuuure, I saw you two ‘catching up’. Why don’t you tell us more about that, huh?” Opal grinned wider, crossing her arms. The look on Mako’s face was telling.

“Really now? Is there something you want to tell us, Mako?” Asami pressed. Korra meanwhile quirked an eyebrow. Was there?

“Guys, stop, I’m being serious! We were just caching up, that’s all!” Mako insisted, his face beet red. Whether it was from the alcohol or the embarrassment (or both) was unclear, though. “I don’t know if I even like guys, but if I did, it wouldn’t be Prince Wu.”

“Boo!” Asami jeered. “Way to be boring like always.” Mako just rolled his eyes.

“He’s not my type _at all_ ,” He assured. “We were just talking about boring politics stuff. If anything, he was the one hitting on _me_.”

“Oh, so you do have a type then?” Opal asked, leaning in a little closer. Mako was sweating bullets now.

“…No,” He lied, unwilling to answer any more questions. “I’m not just- I’m not that drunk yet, sorry,”

“Phooey. Well, whatever. I know what I saw, and I saw _you_ hitting on the Prince.” Opal shrugged, unwilling to back down.

“No, trust us, he’s telling the truth. Even with a few drinks in him, he really is just _that_ boring.” Korra complained.

“Hey, come on!” Mako pouted. Everybody laughed.

How long had it been since they’d done this? Since they just sat around and talked like friends? It felt like it’d been a lifetime. Not even Varrick’s wedding had been this fun. It was easy for them to forget how young they really were, sometimes. This was what their weekends should’ve been like. Not stressing over crazed dictators or dark spirits, but having _fun_ , enjoying life. They were all so busy now, they rarely got to do this anymore. But that just made nights like these all the more special for them.

“Hey, ‘scuse me, sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to compliment yer performance personally,” Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice pulled them from their conversation, a sharp dressed man in Fire Nation colors standing beside their table. Nobody had seen him coming, so his appearance caught everybody by surprise, but Korra was particularly spooked. She was normally more alert than this.

“Name’s Atsushi, and I run this here club,” He introduced, flashing the five friends a toothy grin. “We haven’t had a performance _that_ surprising that in ages. Who’da thunk the Avatar’s girl’d be so multi-talented?”

It took him a moment in his current state, but when Mako saw that face paired with that name, his blood ran cold. “I know exactly who _you_ are,” The detective said. He certainly didn’t _feel_ very tipsy anymore, but he was still finding it hard not to slur his words. “You’re the head of the Agni Kais, Atsushi Nakamoto.”

Korra’s face suddenly soured. The Agni Kais? She quickly looked over to Asami. She looked like she’d seen a ghost. That alone was more than enough to put Korra on the defensive. She reached under the table for Asami’s hand, holding it tight. This guy was definitely bad news.

Atsushi’s toothy grin only grew at the accusation. “Well, now _that’s_ a pretty nasty rumor, isn’t it?” He asked. He’d be feigning ignorance, then. “I’m just a humble businessman – the owner of a couple nightclubs around Republic City, that’s all.”

“I knew this club was in Agni Kai territory, but I didn’t think they actually ran the place,” Korra mentioned, speaking up as if solely to remind Atsushi that the Avatar was there. He spared a look in her direction, his grin weakening only slightly before reasserting itself. So she was.

“Once again, a nasty rumor,” Atsushi maintained. “I just wanted to congratulate Miss Sato here on a job well done, and to offer her the opportunity to sing again any time. Ya see, the Tigerlily’s always lookin’ for hot new talent, and her voice most definitely fits the bill. So I thought I’d mosey on over and extend an invitation to her to become a part of the Tigerlily family.”

“Thanks, but no thanks. I’m not interested,” Asami firmly proclaimed. She looked serious. Serious enough that it prompted Atsushi to whistle.

“Talk about a little spitfire, eh?” Atsushi laughed. “But alrighty then, have it your way. The offer still stands if you change your mind.” He shrugged. “Just do us all a favor and take care of that voice of yours, eh? Word on the street is you’re a bit of a risk-taker, a full-fledged member of ‘Team Avatar’. It’d be a cryin’ shame if something were to happen to damage it.”

“Was that a threat?” Korra asked, rising from her seat. Atsushi instinctively backed away, raising his hands in front of him.

“Not at all, not at all,” He clarified. Korra sat back down. “Just a lil’ friendly advice. You shouldn’t go risking something so beautiful unless you’re sure you can protect it.” Korra was practically staring daggers at Atsushi now, but he seemed confident enough not to care. He turned back to Asami one last time. “You’ve got the makings of greatness in ya, Miss Sato. I do hope you reconsider,” He wished.

“I won’t.” Asami reaffirmed.

Atsushi shrugged. “If you’re sure. You five enjoy the rest of your night, now, ya hear?” With that, Atsushi’s business here was done, and he turned to walk away. As soon as they were sure he was out of earshot, Korra was the first to speak up.

“What was that all about?” She asked. Mako still looked a little spooked. He never expected to see _him_ around.

“The triads have been- there’s been a lot of trouble, lately, and you promised to help stop them,” Mako explained, sighing. “I think he was trying to intimidate us into living- leaving the Agni Kais alone.”

“He sure seemed confident,” Opal frowned.

“He has no reason not to be. He runs this part of the city now,” Mako reminded. Opal’s frown deepened.

“I know I promised not to talk about work tonight, but this is different. There’s been a lot of disappearances around the city lately, Mako and I have been investigating missing persons cases all week. We’re pretty sure it’s Triad related. Anybody they think is a threat ends up missing or dead,” Bolin explained, sounding uncharacteristically somber. “Considering we just bumped into one of their leaders, I don’t think any of us should go anywhere alone tonight.”

“That’s a good idea,” Korra agreed, looking over at Asami. She still seemed a little shaken, her eyes were practically burning holes through the tablecloth. “Asami, are you okay?”

“What?” She immediately looked up from the table. “Oh, uh… yeah. I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I’m sure. I’m just- I’m just gonna go get another drink.” She said. As soon as she stood up from the table though, another guest had come to visit them, two drinks in hand. Thankfully, this one was a much more welcome sight.

“I already have one for you,” Ravi said, handing one of his glasses to Asami. She happily accepted. “I thought you might need another as soon as I saw Atsushi walking away from your table.”

“You know him?” Opal asked. Ravi frowned.

“I used to. When I was younger, I used to be a part of the Terra Triad, back before the police broke them up. Atsushi and I were always on different sides, but we were friends, once. Only thing is, I left that life, and he didn’t. We haven’t spoken in years.”

“I didn’t know that before…” Korra said, rubbing Asami’s hand. She was back to staring at the table. It was the Agni Kais that broke into her house and killed her mother when she was just a little girl. The head of the organization suddenly approaching her must’ve brought back a lot of bad memories, Korra thought.

“I don’t like talking about it, as you can probably imagine,” Ravi explained. “I really just wanted to make sure Asami was okay.”

“Like I told Korra, I’ll be fine.” Asami said. At least she was still listening in. “I’m just a little shaken up. Thank you for checking in on me though,” She flashed Ravi a weak smile. He nodded.

“Of course.”

“Weren’t you with Chief Beifong? Can’t she do something about Atsushi?” Bolin asked.

“No. Everybody knows Atsushi’s dirty, but anyone and anything conclusively linking him to the Agni Kais tends to go up in smoke. If she tried to arrest him, he’d be out by the morning. She does know that he’s here now, though, so she’ll be keeping an eye on him for the rest of the evening. You guys can go back to having fun.”

“I think the moment’s passed, now,” Korra sighed. Ravi frowned.

“Well, if there’s anything else I can do, just let me know,” Just as quickly as he made that offer, Asami took him up on it.

“Go with me to get another drink?” She asked. Ravi looked surprised she’d finished it already, and so did everyone else. But they understood why, at least.

“Of course,” He smiled. Asami got up from the table, finally letting go of Korra’s hand so that she could walk with Ravi to the bar for another. As the two of them walked away, Korra looked upset.

“Why does this always happen to _us_?” She complained, leaning back in her seat and staring up at the ceiling. They’d been having so much fun, too.

“Probly ‘cause you’re the Avatar,” Mako said matter-of-factly, immediately regretting it after the looks he got from everybody else. “…Sorry, I’ll shut up now.”

“No, you’re probably right.” Korra sighed. “Sorry there’s always some other crisis going on. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to worry about the Triads or anything until tomorrow, but it never seems to go that way for me.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Opal smiled. “Technically, we’re all working against the Triads, in our own way. Stuff like this is bound to happen sometimes.”

“I guess. I just wish it didn’t, you know?”

“You can say that again,” Bolin complained.

“Here, here,” Mako agreed. Around this time, Asami returned to the table with a new glass and a much stronger drink. Korra wasn’t going to press her on it.

“Hey, actually, why haven’t _you_ been drinking, Korra? You’re the only one going straight-edge tonight,” Opal mentioned, the sight of Mako and Asami having reminded her.

“Oh, well, for stuff like this, pretty much.” Korra laughed. “After the way the last premiere turned out, I didn’t want to be off my game if the Chi Eater turned up again.”

“…Wait, I thought you killed the Chi Eater?” Mako asked. Korra froze. Whoops.

“Uh…” Everybody’s eyes were on her now. “Guess the cat’s out of the bag, then. I told Lin earlier, when I helped the police sweep the theater for the premiere, but I wanted to keep it on the down low in case it was nothing. But basically, one of the spirits told me earlier that the Chi Eater might still be alive. I don’t know how, but, apparently all the older spirits are still scared to come back. They’re convinced it isn’t dead yet.”

“Great. First the Triads, now the Cheater- er, Chi Eater. Could tonight get any worse?” Mako complained.

“Hello, everybody!”

“Speak of the devil…” Mako sighed. As if on cue, Ryuuki arrived.

“Oof, sorry, did I interrupt something? You guys all look pretty down,” Ryuuki frowned, an alien expression on his face. It almost seemed _wrong_ , somehow.

“We kinda just got interrupted by the head of the Agni Kais. Turns out he runs this place,” Bolin explained.

“You’re kidding!” Ryuuki exclaimed. The looks on their faces said it all, though. “…You’re not kidding. Okay. Great. No wonder you all look so intense,” Ryuuki backpedaled. “Sorry about that. Should I go? Maybe I should go…”

“No, it’s fine! Don’t worry about it,” Bolin quickly replied, not wanting his idol to leave so soon.

“Did you need something, Ryuuki?” Opal asked.

“Mm, not really, I was just passing by and noticed how dour you guys were looking, so I wanted to check in and make sure everything was alright.”

“We’ll be fine, don’t worry about it,” Asami chimed in. Her glass was already half-empty, but she sounded a bit more sure of what she was saying this time. Korra gave a relieved smile. “Thank you, though. Ravi was checking in on us for the same reason.”

“Ooh, Ravi was here? Darn, I’m sad I missed him. He’s been locked in conversation with Raiko, Lin, Tenzin, and Suyin all night. I have no clue what they could be talking about, but I wanted to thank him for his help with last week’s premiere.”

“Oh, for helping out with the Chi Eater, you mean?” Korra asked.

“Well, that too, but also for helping out when I first got back to Republic City! He happened to be in the neighborhood when we were first scouting out locations for the premiere, and he suggested we use the Pro Bending Arena.”

“Huh, I thought Varrick did that.”

“Well, Varrick helped set up the specifics, but the location was Ravi’s idea. I didn’t know he was in charge of Future Industries at the time, though, I thought he was just a local.”

“Yeah, he’s always been all about keeping a low profile,” Asami laughed. Korra’s smile widened slightly. She was happy to hear her laughing again.

“Speaking of last week, I should be thanking you, too, Asami,” Ryuuki mentioned, catching her attention. “I think I speak for all of us when I say we couldn’t have beaten that Chi Eater thing without you. You’re a very brave woman. Talented, too! I heard you sing, I never would’ve guessed.” Asami blushed, waving her hand. She seemed to be completely back to normal now. “All of you helped against that thing. Thank you. And thank you for coming to the re-premiere!”

“Of course, we’re Team Avatar! It’s what we do,” Bolin grinned. “And we wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I think the mover was even better the second time, honestly!”

“It was nice being able to catch the ending this time, I loved it,” Korra said.

Ryuuki smiled wide. He was happy they’d all enjoyed the show. “That’s all I could’ve asked for.” He said. Everybody seemed to be in better spirits now than when he found them, so as far as Ryuuki was concerned, his job here was done. Before he turned to walk away though, there was one more thing he wanted to say.

“Oh, right, I almost forgot,” Ryuuki began, recapturing the group’s attention. “Avatar Korra, I heard your speech earlier today, about Kuvira?”

In an instant, Opal’s mood plummeted. Bolin inhaled sharply through his teeth, immediately turning to face her. She already looked upset, but she wasn’t saying anything. He hoped it stayed that way. Asami’s mood also dropped again, though nowhere near as much. She wasn’t too happy to hear Kuvira’s name, either.

“I wanted to say, you really changed my mind. Admittedly, I was part of the crowd who thought we should make an example out of Kuvira after everything she did to our city, but, I think you’re right. Vengeance isn’t justice. I know you said you’re no Avatar Aang, but, you definitely sounded like him when you said all that. After that, and how you handled yourself against the Chi Eater, I think I feel pretty confident saying you’re my favorite Avatar.” While Ryuuki talked, Opal rolled her eyes. Bolin had his hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her.

Korra, meanwhile, blushed. “Thank you, really,” She replied. But as she looked around, she saw everybody’s faces. Mako seemed okay, but everybody else seemed upset as soon as Kuvira was mentioned. It was better that she hurried this along as to not ruin the mood again. “But I’m trying not to talk about that stuff tonight. It’s… a complicated situation, and I really want tonight to be fun.”

“Oh, of course, I’m sorry if I said something I shouldn’t have,” Ryuuki said, his smile fading. It was only now that he saw the look on Opal’s face and Bolin trying to console her. “I’ll leave you guys alone now. Thank you, again.” With that, his smile returned and Ryuuki waved goodbye. As soon as he was gone, Korra sighed.

“Are you guys okay?” She asked. As soon as he lifted their moods, Ryuuki brought them all back down again. She was sure he didn’t mean to, but it was kind of a touchy subject right now. Not just for them, either – the whole city was pretty divided on Kuvira. Ryuuki wasn’t the first person to thank Korra for what she’d said though, and he probably wasn’t going to be the last. She just hoped this didn’t happen every time somebody brought her up.

“Yeah… yeah, I’m alright.” Asami said, the first to speak up. Korra breathed a sigh of relief. “I know I was pretty upset about it earlier, and I still mean what I said, but… I heard what you said, too. I don’t know if I can ever forgive her, but I don’t think killing her would be just, either. Even if it would make me feel better, that doesn’t make it right.”

“I agree,” Mako said, smiling. “As far as I’m concerned, life inpri- imprisonmeth-” Mako sighed. Maybe he shouldn’t have had so much to drink. “You know what I mean.” Korra laughed.

“Are you kidding me?” Opal finally blurted out. Bolin’s heart sank, and suddenly, everybody’s gaze was on her. “None of you? Really? Not a single one of you thinks she deserves to die for what she did?”

“Opal… no, of course not,” Korra replied, a little surprised to hear that coming from Opal. She knew she had a pretty negative opinion of Kuvira, but this? “I don’t think anybody deserves to die.”

“Well that’s just naive,” Opal accused, a venom behind her words that nobody gathered had heard before. Nobody but Bolin, who was now trying to calm her down.

“Uh, Opal, I don’t think now is the best time,” He suggested. But Opal wasn’t having any of it.

“Then when, Bolin? I’m tired of pretending everything’s okay when it’s not. Kuvira is a monster, and she deserves to die. I’m sorry, but that’s just the way it is.”

“Opal, we get it, but I think you need to calm down,” Asami suggested, grabbing onto Korra’s hand beneath the table again.

“Calm down? How can you say that? You, of all people. She killed your _father_! Aren’t you upset? I thought you, of all people, would understand!”

“Don’t you _dare_ talk about him!” Asami shouted, nearly rising up from the table. Her grip on Korra’s hand tightened. “And don’t you dare tell me how you think I should feel, because quite frankly, that’s none of your fucking business.” She seethed. She looked about ready to reach across the table and slap Opal here and now. “But you and I both know Korra’s right. I get that you’re upset, but you’re the last person I expected to be out for blood tonight. You actually got a happy ending out of all this. What about me?”

“Happy? You think I’m _happy_? Do you have any idea what that woman _did_ to me?” Opal raged, standing up where Asami wouldn’t.

“Um, guys, maybe we should just change the subject,” Bolin meekly suggested.

“It’s too late for that, Bolin. But you know what? I’m glad. I’m glad somebody finally brought up the elephant koi in the room. It was only a matter of time before it got to this,” Opal said. “You’re right, Asami. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t pretend to understand what you’re going through. But I honestly can’t believe you’re okay with this. She took everything from you, and you’re not the only one. And if she had her way, she never would’ve stopped!”

“And you,” Opal seethed. Her gaze settled onto Korra now and she could feel a chill run down her spine at just the sight of it. “I can’t believe you’re taking _her_ side in all of this. You, the Avatar, of all people! After everything she did!”

“There aren’t any ‘sides’, Opal, only right and wrong, and killing Kuvira now would be wrong, you know that. I know you do. Tenzin and your mom both taught you better than this,” Korra reminded. But that only seemed to set Opal off even more.

“Oh, and I suppose you’d know all about right and wrong, wouldn’t you?” She asked.

“Well, considering I’m the Avatar, yeah, kinda,” Korra defended, starting to get a little agitated herself, now. “Kuvira’s a person too, Opal. She has a right to live and to atone just like any of us do. And quite frankly, the Earth Kingdom territories are probably going to need her in the future. The way she was going about it was wrong, but she actually has some idea what she’s doing, and helping stabilize the territories could absolutely be a part of her sentence, I think.”

“Are you _insane_?” Opal asked. “That’s where you’re wrong, Korra, she’s not a person, she’s a fucking _monster_ , plain and simple. You don’t even know what you’re talking about!”

Korra grit her teeth in frustration. She wanted to unload on Opal the instant she talked to Asami the way she did, but now? Now it was just getting ridiculous. She couldn’t actually believe what she was saying, could she? “Well why don’t you enlighten me, then?” Korra challenged, only serving to escalate things further.

Bolin was terrified. He’d never seen Opal look so _angry_ before. He reached out for her hand to try and calm her down, but she immediately slapped it away. It was too late.

“WELL HOW ABOUT _YOU_ STEP OUTSIDE AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND! LOOK! _ACTUALLY! LOOK!_ ” Opal screamed, all of the conversations in the club immediately coming to a halt as her rage boiled over. Two powerful gusts of wind punctuated the stress she put on her last words, Korra’s suit fluttering in the wind as she stood up from the table to meet her. Her expression was unwavering and annoyed.

“Opal…?” Suyin asked, standing up from the table with Raiko, Tenzin, and the others as soon as she heard her daughter’s voice. For a couple of seconds, everything was deathly silent as Opal and Korra stared each other down.

“ _LOOK_ AT WHAT SHE DID! She DESTROYED this city! Do you have ANY idea how many people she killed, how many lives she’s _ruined_ , even after everything we did to evacuate and stop her? The death toll is in the thousands, Korra! THE THOUSANDS. She DECIMATED Republic City’s skyline and DEVASTATED this city so completely, weaselsnakes like Atsushi have been able to take control of it!” As Opal went off, Korra remained silent, simply staring her down as her friends’ eyes went from Opal to Korra and then back again.

“There’s rumors of a turf war coming like this city’s never seen before, and there’s no telling how many more people are going to die because of it! The city can’t do anything! The police can’t do anything! And you certainly can’t do anything, either! Not alone! And none of this is even mentioning what she did to _Zaofu_ , how _exposed_ she’s left us! She’s brought nothing but misery, and pain, and fear, and _hatred_ to this world, and you want to SAVE her? She threw innocent people into concentration camps simply because they weren’t ‘Earth Kingdom’ enough for her tastes, and you think she deserves to LIVE? After what she did to _my_ people? To _my_ cities? To my fucking _FAMILY?_ NO! SHE DESERVES TO _DIE_!” Opal screamed.

“How can you not get it? How can _nobody_ actually get it? How _the fuck_ can I be alone in this?” She asked, throwing her arms in the air out of frustration. She was panting, she’d been yelling so much. The whole of the club remained deafeningly silent, and as this set in for her, Opal took a moment to look around. Everybody. Korra, Tenzin, her mother – all of them. It wasn’t even anger that was on their faces, or confusion. It was disappointment.

And then there was Bolin.

His was the face that broke her.

When she saw the way he looked at her, tears welled up in Opal’s eyes. That was when it hit her. She really was alone.

“AUGH!” As if on reflex, as she threw her arms, a gust of wind emanated from her body, the table nearly being blown over until Asami caught it, but Korra stood her ground, staring Opal down. That look. That condescending, holier than thou, ‘You’re better than this’ look. It drove Opal insane. She couldn’t take this anymore. “I can’t do this. I can’t be around you people right now. I’m out of here.” She declared.

“Opal! Where are you going?” Suyin demanded an answer. Stopping as she made it to the exit, Opal decided to give her one.

“To make this right.” With that, she blew open the doors to the club, stepped outside, and then opened the wings of her glider suit. She’d worn it just in case something happened at this premiere, too, but she never thought she’d be using it because of something like this. Without so much as stopping to look back at them, she turned her head up toward the sky and took off with a gust of wind before anybody thought to follow her.

Nobody knew what to say. How could things just go back to normal after something like _that_? The silence that’d befallen the club quickly began to grow awkward, and even the band wasn’t sure how to carry on after that. And as the seconds passed, those closest to Opal began to grow desperate as everything she said began hitting them one after the other, Suyin, Lin, and Tenzin scrambling to figure out what to do as Korra collapsed back into her seat.

She felt… powerless. Opal left, and Korra just _let_ her. As the band awkwardly segued into another song and life slowly returned to the club in hushed whispers, Korra thought she could hear Tenzin mention something about forming a search party. But the one who caught her attention more than that was Bolin.

Poor Bolin.

The young man’s head was buried in his hands, and she could hear him sobbing while his brother comforted him with a hand on his back. She could see it on his face when Opal started talking that he’d been afraid of this all week. He probably knew better than anybody that this was going to come eventually. She couldn’t help but wonder how hard he must’ve been fighting to prevent this. How many different things he must’ve tried to avoid it. And none of it worked. Opal finally snapped, and it broke him.

“I failed…” Korra could hear him say. “I tried so hard, and it wasn’t enough… I failed…” Bolin repeated. Mako just rubbed his brother’s back as he cried, trying to tell him it wasn’t his fault.

“It’s alright, Bo… I know you tried… but there’s nothing you could’ve done…” Mako said. But that just made Bolin feel even worse. Mako sighed, deciding to keep his mouth shut from then on and just try and help his brother through this however he could.

Then there was Asami. When Korra finally thought to check on her, she was already staring at her. It was like she could see what Korra was thinking. Like she knew she was already blaming herself for not grabbing hold of her when Opal walked away. Korra’s mouth felt dry. Asami held onto her Avatar’s hand. “Are you okay?” Asami asked.

“I should be the one asking you that,” Korra smiled weak, then returned to frowning. She felt terrible. Asami’s concern was evident, though. However she felt about everything Opal just said, her concern for her girlfriend was more important to her. Korra sighed. “I don’t know.” She finally admitted. “I knew there were people who felt like that, but I never thought Opal would be one of them. I’m just… surprised, I guess.”

“You have to stop her,” Bolin said, sniffling loudly and looking up from his hands. He caught Korra off guard, pulling her attention away from Asami and back to him as he stared her down more serious than she thought she’d ever seen him. “Please. I know you’re the last person she wants to see right now, but you’re also the only one who might actually be able to get through to her. You have to stop her. If you don’t, then she… she might… I don’t even know what she might do anymore…” He admitted.

“Bolin…” Korra could feel her heart break. He sounded so defeated. But he was right, and she knew it. And she had a pretty good idea where Opal might be going. She just hoped she was wrong. “Okay.” She said.

“Are you sure?” Asami asked, her grip on Korra’s hand tightening. “I’m sure Tenzin and Suyin can take care of this. If you want, we could just-”

“No, he’s right. I’m probably the only person who can get through to her right now. I know Tenzin isn’t going to be able to appeal to her, I don’t really know how her mother feels about this whole Kuvira situation, and spirits knows what Raiko’s going to order Lin to do about this. If he thinks she’s going after Kuvira, he might just order the police to shoot her out of the sky.” Korra solemnly replied. Asami frowned.

“This isn’t fair. You never seem to be able to catch a break.” Asami said. Korra sighed. She really couldn’t, could she?

“All a part of the job description, I guess.” She shrugged, standing up from the table. Asami mimicked her movements and pulled the Avatar into a tight hug, one she gladly returned. “Are you going to be okay while I’m gone? After Atsushi, and now this, I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be. I’ll be fine. And even if I’m not, I’ve got all the booze in the world, so I’ll manage.” She joked, flashing her fiancee a half-smile. Korra wasn’t sure she liked that one, but she knew Asami was right. She was going to be okay.

“Okay. I’ll be back before you know it. I just need to make sure Opal doesn’t do something stupid.” Korra said.

“So long as you don’t do something stupid, yourself.” Asami replied. Korra laughed.

“Well, I was going to ask if I could borrow your car, if that counts. I know I’m not a very good driver yet, but I don’t think I’ll be able to catch up to her on foot, so-”

“Of course.” Asami replied, reaching into her purse and handing Korra her keys. It’s not like she was gonna be doing anymore driving tonight, anyway.

“Thank you. I promise not to wreck it,”

“I know,” Asami laughed. “I’ll go let Lin and the others know you’re going to try and bring her back and look after Bolin for you.”

“Thank you. If I’m not back in an hour, then tell them to go to Kuvira’s prison. I’m going to try and resolve this before it comes to that, though.” To this, Asami nodded. With all that settled, Korra gave Asami one more hug and then turned and walked out the door.

With any luck, she’d be able to find Opal before it was too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit shorter than usual, but this seemed the best place to take a break considering everything that happens next. The next chapter may be a bit on the longer side, but we'll see how it turns out when I finish it.
> 
> Also, I hope it wasn't too obvious that I have absolutely no idea how to write a drunk/tipsy character. I hope it wasn't TOO atrocious, it's something for me to improve on for the future lmao


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